diff --git a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/app/mainwindow.py b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/app/mainwindow.py
index d95ca24403a043fbe33aa4ad76d539851720c5f6..48e1364dc4a5dcc3d8db1d623259256662a7f99e 100644
--- a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/app/mainwindow.py
+++ b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/app/mainwindow.py
@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
                                     shortcut_context=Qt.ApplicationShortcut)
         self.file_menu_actions = [action_quit]
 
-
     def populate_menus(self):
         # Link to menus
         add_actions(self.file_menu, self.file_menu_actions)
diff --git a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/editor.py b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/editor.py
index a4f6ecee57126dbcb77d2851a73ce779e0c90959..959009584df15e23b978167c649b2c97fcc8916c 100644
--- a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/editor.py
+++ b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/editor.py
@@ -21,12 +21,23 @@ from __future__ import (absolute_import, unicode_literals)
 # third-party library imports
 from mantidqt.utils.qt import add_actions, create_action
 from mantidqt.widgets.codeeditor.multifileinterpreter import MultiPythonFileInterpreter
+from qtpy.QtCore import Qt
 from qtpy.QtWidgets import QVBoxLayout
 
 # local package imports
 from workbench.plugins.base import PluginWidget
 
 
+# Initial content
+DEFAULT_CONTENT = """# The following line helps with future compatibility with Python 3
+# print must now be used as a function, e.g print('Hello','World')
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals)
+
+# Import all mantid algorithms
+from mantid.simpleapi import *
+"""
+
+
 class MultiFileEditor(PluginWidget):
     """Provides a tab widget for editing multiple files"""
 
@@ -34,7 +45,8 @@ class MultiFileEditor(PluginWidget):
         super(MultiFileEditor, self).__init__(parent)
 
         # layout
-        self.editors = MultiPythonFileInterpreter(self)
+        self.editors = MultiPythonFileInterpreter(default_content=DEFAULT_CONTENT,
+                                                  parent=self)
         layout = QVBoxLayout()
         layout.addWidget(self.editors)
         layout.setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0)
@@ -42,7 +54,9 @@ class MultiFileEditor(PluginWidget):
 
         # attributes
         self.run_action = create_action(self, "Run",
-                                        on_triggered=self.execute_current)
+                                        on_triggered=self.execute_current,
+                                        shortcut="Ctrl+Return",
+                                        shortcut_context=Qt.ApplicationShortcut)
         self.editor_actions = [self.run_action]
 
     # ----------- Plugin API --------------------
diff --git a/qt/python/mantidqt/widgets/codeeditor/interpreter.py b/qt/python/mantidqt/widgets/codeeditor/interpreter.py
index 3a1e65f99b861c932578a15c53004d3ae2d600fc..858a66db0139282f196a1e6dcef9ec31dd5a670e 100644
--- a/qt/python/mantidqt/widgets/codeeditor/interpreter.py
+++ b/qt/python/mantidqt/widgets/codeeditor/interpreter.py
@@ -31,10 +31,9 @@ RUNNING_STATUS_MSG = "Status: Running"
 # Editor colors
 CURRENTLINE_BKGD = QColor(247, 236, 248)
 
-
 class PythonFileInterpreter(QWidget):
 
-    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+    def __init__(self, default_content=None, parent=None):
         """
         :param parent: A parent QWidget
         """
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ class PythonFileInterpreter(QWidget):
         self.setLayout(layout)
         layout.setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0)
 
-        self._setup_editor()
+        self._setup_editor(default_content)
 
         # presenter
         self._presenter = PythonFileInterpreterPresenter(self, PythonCodeExecution())
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ class PythonFileInterpreter(QWidget):
     def set_status_message(self, msg):
         self.status.showMessage(msg)
 
-    def _setup_editor(self):
+    def _setup_editor(self, default_content):
         editor = self.editor
         # use fixed with font
         font = QFont("Courier New")
@@ -79,6 +78,10 @@ class PythonFileInterpreter(QWidget):
         font_metrics = QFontMetrics(font)
         editor.setMarginWidth(1, font_metrics.averageCharWidth()*3 + 12)
 
+        # fill with content if supplied
+        if default_content is not None:
+            editor.setText(default_content)
+
 
 class PythonFileInterpreterPresenter(QObject):
     """Presenter part of MVP to control actions on the editor"""
diff --git a/qt/python/mantidqt/widgets/codeeditor/multifileinterpreter.py b/qt/python/mantidqt/widgets/codeeditor/multifileinterpreter.py
index c72f5f9d2203f8f3f3c6402f0457cc749dcfc937..4e9ee97534f6740de0c7e58484122af36991729a 100644
--- a/qt/python/mantidqt/widgets/codeeditor/multifileinterpreter.py
+++ b/qt/python/mantidqt/widgets/codeeditor/multifileinterpreter.py
@@ -26,9 +26,12 @@ from mantidqt.widgets.codeeditor.interpreter import PythonFileInterpreter
 class MultiPythonFileInterpreter(QWidget):
     """Provides a tabbed widget for editing multiple files"""
 
-    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+    def __init__(self, default_content=None, parent=None):
         super(MultiPythonFileInterpreter, self).__init__(parent)
 
+        # attributes
+        self.default_content = default_content
+
         # layout
         self._editors = QTabWidget(self)
         self._editors.setMovable(True)
@@ -52,6 +55,7 @@ class MultiPythonFileInterpreter(QWidget):
 
     def append_new_editor(self):
         title = "New"
-        self._editors.addTab(PythonFileInterpreter(self._editors),
+        self._editors.addTab(PythonFileInterpreter(self.default_content,
+                                                   parent=None),
                              title)