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| McConnell asks exams boss to go | McConnell asks exams boss to go |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Scotland's former first minister has led calls for an SNP council chief to quit as the new chairman of the Scottish Qualifications Authority. | |
| Stirling Council leader Graham Houston is due to take up the four-year part-time post next month. | |
| Jack McConnell said the move compromised the exam body's need to remain independent of party politics. | Jack McConnell said the move compromised the exam body's need to remain independent of party politics. |
| But Mr Houston dismissed the accusations, and told BBC Scotland he had no intention of stepping down. | But Mr Houston dismissed the accusations, and told BBC Scotland he had no intention of stepping down. |
| Mr McConnell is now expected to raise the issue with his successor, Alex Salmond. | Mr McConnell is now expected to raise the issue with his successor, Alex Salmond. |
| Liberal Democrat Nicol Stephen, who served alongside Mr McConnell as deputy first minister in the last Scottish Government, also appealed to Mr Houston to quit the SQA. | |
| There is nothing secret in this Graham Houston The call was backed by the Conservatives. | |
| Mr McConnell, as education minister, dealt with the aftermath of the Scottish exams debacle in 2000 when thousands of pupils received late, incomplete or incorrect results. | |
| He said one of the key recommendations to come out of the fiasco was that the exam board should, in future, be seen to be politically independent. | |
| Insisting his attack was not personal, Mr McConnell said of the appointment: "It's wrong in principle, because the SQA should be an independent body, but it's also wrong in practice, because there's a conflict between the active political role of Mr Houston on Stirling Council, and the independent public role as chair of the SQA." | |
| Delivering a message to Mr Houston, the Motherwell and Wishaw MSP added: "I am asking him, I'm pleading with him today to recognise that conflict and make it easy for everybody involved - withdraw the application and allow the minister to make a new appointment." | |
| 'Leadership ability' | |
| Mr Houston told BBC Scotland he "recognised concerns" about a potential clash surrounding his SQA position, which carries a salary of £13,439 for a minimum commitment of 52 days a year. | |
| But he insisted he took the proper advice before applying for the position on the basis of his previous experience. | |
| All the relevant information, Mr Houston stated, had been disclosed, adding: "There is nothing secret in this". | |
| He also said that, if any conflict was to arise, alternative arrangements could be made at Stirling Council. | |
| Mr Houston's SQA appointment was announced by Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop, who said he would bring a wealth of experience and leadership ability to the role. | |
| The Scottish Government also insisted that all public appointments were made on merit, with political activity playing "no part" in the selection process. |