Liberal Democrat MSPs have received a vote of confidence from grassroots party members in the rankings for list candidates at next year's Holyrood elections.

Sitting MSPs have topped the regional lists of candidates for the elections to the Scottish Parliament next May.

Lib Dem MP Michael Moore said the results proved the party was united and looking forward to going to the polls.

The party appears to have avoided the infighting and tensions with which other parties have been troubled.

Michael Moore: "Winnable positions"

The Scottish National Party's ballot was riven with tensions, which saw high profile candidates such as Margo Macdonald effectively ditched.

And the Conservatives faced problems in Glasgow, where it was alleged that dozens of new members were recruited to boost one candidate's chances.

But the Lib Dems have boosted their current list MSPs by increasing their share of the vote.

The party holds 12 first-past-the-post constituency seats and five regional top-up list seats, including Presiding Officer Sir David Steel.

It hopes to double the number of list MSPs at the next election and has chosen sitting MSPs to lead the charge.

Top ranking

Mr Moore, the member for Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, said he was pleased that a number of women had secured high rankings in the list.

He said: "As Lib Dems we are proud that the lists of regional candidates for next year's election is the result of an all-member ballot carried out without the factional in-fighting and acrimony we have seen in other parties.

"These ballots have seen the four sitting Liberal Democrat regional list MSPs get a vote of confidence by increasing their share of the vote in their regions.

'Honest campaigning'

"The results have also seen a significant improvement in the number of female candidates in winnable positions."

The MP said he believed the party's "honest campaigning" was paying dividends.

Sir David is not standing again, and will be replaced at the top of the Lothians list by Edinburgh councillor Mike Pringle.

However, Robert Brown MSP remains top of the Glasgow list and Keith Raffan heads the Mid-Scotland and Fife region.

Donald Gorrie comes top of the Central Scotland list and Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie is first in the West of Scotland rankings.

In the North East, Deputy Education Minister Nicol Stephen and Mike Rumbles MSP, who both have first-past-the-post seats, top the rankings for the region.