GLASGOW MSP Bill Butler's attempt to make health boards more accountable has failed.

The Executive survived a feared backbench revolt when Holyrood voted down plans for directly-elected health boards.

MSPs voted by 64 votes to 55 to defeat Mr Butler's proposals.

Today he said he was "very disappointed" his plan had been rejected.

But he said he was encouraged by Health Minister Andy Kerr's pledge he would run pilot schemes on it in the next parliamentary session.

Mr Butler added: "If I'm re-elected in May, I will be pressing ministers from day one to make sure this happens."

He launched his campaign after being infuriated by Glasgow health bosses' plan to axe the Queen Mother's maternity hospital in the face of massive public opposition, and an award-winning Evening Times campaign, which secured £100million for a new children's hospital.

Mr Kerr was opposed to the Bill and all Labour MSPs, except Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) and Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth), backed him.

Although the SNP and the Tories supported Mr Butler, he was defeated by the combined weight of Labour and Liberal Democrat votes.

If the Bill had won backing at this and subsequent parliamentary stages, it would have meant the majority of members of Scotland's area health boards would be elected by the public.

Opening the debate, Mr Butler said his proposals stemmed from public anger at the secret way health boards operated.

"I believe the undeniable problem with the way boards currently operate and reach decisions lies as much in public perception as in the nature of some of these decisions," he said.

"The anger some people feel about certain decisions is, to a degree, generated by the manner in which these decisions are seen to be made.

"In secret, with little or no explanation, often predetermined and often ignoring the views of the community in responses to the board's own consultation processes."

Mr Kerr claimed "complex issues" were involved.

He said: "Testing out these ideas through piloting the concepts is the right thing to do, rather than rush in proposals that have not been considered adequately."

SNP health spokeswoman Shona Robison claimed 16 Labour backbenchers had supported the proposals in the past.

And she appealed for MSPs to support the bid, instead of "any kind of fudge about pilots" from a minister opposed to the principle of the Bill.