Leader views: Alex Browne

PANEL MEMBER Name: Alex Browne Age: 47 Lives: Linlithgow Job: IT worker Current voting intention: Scottish National Party

The electoral process we're used to in Britain dictates that the leader of the party that wins the election becomes the leader of the Government.

Although the peculiar system of PR used for the Scottish elections changes things more than a little, it is fair to say that we will all be choosing a First Minister as well as a Scottish Parliament when we vote on May 3rd.

Well, my vote's for Alex, and here are some of the reasons.

The Lib-Dems' Nicol Stephen is at great pains to be the family-friendly leader, for all the undecided female voters - but he would, wouldn't he?

Would he make a good FM, however? It's hard to imagine him fighting for the best deal for Scotland at the EU table. He doesn't make much of a lasting impression, maybe because of the Lib-Dems' core policy of being eager to please.

No-one will accuse Annabel Goldie of that; she can be refreshingly direct, but suffers from the fatal flaw of being a Tory.

She also reminds me of Sam the American Eagle from the Muppets, but that is not actually a bad thing.

In her favour, uniquely amongst the Unionists, the idea of her standing up against Westminster interference in Scottish business is quite conceivable.

Labour's Jack McConnell is the third person to hold the position of FM and undoubtedly the worst, which is no mean feat.

He just never looks able for the job; whether he is debating in the Parliament chamber, representing Scotland abroad (remember that kilt?) or being upstaged by his seniors while campaigning here in Scotland, he is stolidly unimpressive.

How different it might have been if Wendy Alexander had become Labour leader . . . I don't think the SNP are complaining.

Alex Salmond made it clear from the start that he is campaigning to be First Minister as much as for an SNP victory.

Compared to his opponents he comes out equal or ahead in every area. If only for the sake of the standard of debate in the Parliament I hope he gets elected.

As for representing Scotland abroad - for the first time we might have a First Minister who puts Scotland first.