He stepped down as an MSP when the parliament was dissolved for the 2003 election, but remained as Presiding Officer until he had supervised the election of his successor George Reid on 7 May of that year.
Han avgick som en MSP när parlamentet upplöstes inför valet 2003, men kvarstod som talman tills han kunde överlämna till sin efterträdare George Reid den 7 maj samma år.