CONSERVATIVE councillor David Wilson will stand for election to the Scottish Parliament next year.

Mr Wilson has been chosen by party members to contest the Renfrewshire North and West seat, which covers Kilmacolm and Quarrier’s Village in his current Inverclyde Council ward.

MSP Annabel Goldie stood for the Tories in the seat — which is currently held by the SNP’s Derek Mackay — back in 2011.

Mr Wilson is also bidding to secure a spot on the West of Scotland regional list, the route which Ms Goldie took to Holyrood when she was elected four years ago.

The former Scottish Conservative leader, who was a pupil of Kilmacolm Primary and Greenock Academy, announced in June this year that she would be stepping down as an MSP to concentrate on her role in the House of Lords.

Mr Wilson now hopes to step into the breach after being given the nod by party members.

He told the Tele: “I’m delighted to have been selected by the local Conservative association to stand in the Holyrood seat of Renfrewshire North and West.

“I’m honoured to be following in the footsteps of Baroness Goldie.

“I will obviously be trying to win the seat outright but will also be trying to become an MSP from the West of Scotland list, which was where Annabel was elected from the Conservative list.” The party will choose three candidates for the regional list and Cllr Wilson hopes his name will be among them.

He said: “The method of selecting the Conservative list candidate is by our members and, for the first time, by our supporters.

“Those who in the past have indicated support for the party and are, for instance, members of Conservative Friends of the Union will be asked to vote for their Conservative candidate on the list and we will be looking to put forward three candidates.

“I would like very, very much to be in the top three.

“I look forward to continuing my record representing my constituents, who gave me a resounding vote of approval in the 2012 council election.

“As a list MSP I would also be representing all of Inverclyde.”