New MSP Roz McCall becomes first to pledge allegiance to the King

A new Scottish Conservative MSP is due to be sworn in at Holyrood, as parliamentary business resumes following the death of the Queen.

Roz McCall will become the first MSP to join the chamber by pledging allegiance to King Charles III as she is sworn in.

She is replacing Dean Lockhart as a list MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife after he resigned earlier this month.

Mr Lockhart, who was the convener of the Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, said he was taking up a “new opportunity” with a body which works with politicians and others towards net-zero targets.

Normal business at the Scottish Parliament was suspended on Thursday September 8 following the death of the Queen.

It will resume on Tuesday with several sessions taking place in the debating chamber during the afternoon.

As part of being sworn in, new MSPs must make an oath or affirmation pledging allegiance to the current monarch.

Earlier this month, Ms McCall said she was “delighted and honoured” to be joining the Scottish Conservative group at Holyrood.

She said: “As an MSP I will work to reverse the erosion of local democracy, to hold the SNP Government to account, and to provide alternative, new and imaginative, positive policies to benefit the people of Mid Scotland and Fife, and Scotland as a whole.”