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“Some of the MPs are afraid of the prospect of the next Holyrood leader being elected on the back of their votes, so they want to keep out of it.”

There is another possible development which might alter the SNP's focus. Labour leaders at Holyrood are waiting for Jack McConnell's decision on when he intends to stand down as the MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw so he can go to Malawi as the UK's High Commissioner.The former first minister has said he won't make a decision until he gets confirmation of his appointment from the Foreign Office.If the Foreign Office endorses his appointment, his contract should come to him soon, which means he could stand down in the next couple of months, forcing a by-election for Holyrood on the same day as the Glenrothes poll.