GLASGOW City Council leader Gordon Matheson last night rejected challenges from rivals to rule himself out of taking a place automatically at the top of a regional list if he is elected deputy Scottish Labour leader.

Alex Rowley and fellow contender Richard Baker said yesterday they will not use the position as a guarantee for first place on their respective mid Scotland and Fife and North East Scotland lists as they are entitled to do.

But Matheson insisted he would use the policy to enter Holyrood.

“If the party members decide they want me as deputy leader I will take the place on the list,” he said.

Matheson’s decision to stand as deputy leader and seek election to Holyrood has provoked anger among some Glasgow Labour MSPs.

If elected he would automatically go to the top of the list, reducing the chances of sitting MSPs getting re-elected.

Hanzala Malik MSP was top of the Glasgow’s regional list at the 2011 Holyrood election and is keen to stay in the slot.

Malik and his fellow Labour list MSP for Glasgow Anne McTaggart have both nominated Rowley.

The list is seen as vital for Labour at next year’s election as polling suggests its eight constituency seats will be lost. The party’s best hope lies with getting a reasonable number of seats through the list proportional representation system.

Rowley, a former leader of Fife Council and Labour Party general secretary, said: “If I win the deputy leadership contest I would not accept this automatic placement. If the situation ever arose whereby I decided to apply for the list, I will stand as an ordinary member without any preferential treatment.”

Baker said he would also not accept the automatic top list ranking in North East Scotland.

Rowley and Baker have secured enough nominations to go forward, while Matheson needs several more councillors to reach the 60 he needs.