SNP Westminster leader and 15 ousted MPs bid for Holyrood seats as cabinet exodus continues
The SNP’s Westminster leader and 15 ousted MPs who were rejected by voters are bidding for seats at Holyrood – as another current Cabinet minister joined the exodus of current MSPs.
Stephen Flynn and fellow current MPs Dave Doogan and Stephen Gethins have all put their names forward for vetting and been approved by the party as potential candidates for next year’s elections.
In addition, 15 former MPs who were defeated in last year’s general election - including Alyn Smith, Patricia Gibson and Alison Thewliss – have been approved and are in the running to seek nomination to Holyrood constituencies.
Shamed former Health Secretary Michael Matheson – who was suspended from the Scottish parliament for 27 sitting days and had his wages docked for 54 days in what was the biggest sanction ever handed out by the Scottish parliament after running up £10,936 of data roaming charges on his parliamentary iPad during a festive family holiday in Morocco – has also reportedly been approved as a potential candidate.
It comes as Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon yesterday became the third member of John Swinney’s Cabinet to announce they will not stand in next year’s election.
It means that 20 out of the 62 current SNP MSPs have confirmed they will not seek re-election next year.
Mr Flynn had initially intended to stand for selection against current MSP Audrey Nicoll as the party’s candidate for the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine candidacy and, if elected, would continue as MP for Aberdeen South.
But he dropped the ‘double job’ bid following a major backlash within the SNP against his plan.
Stephen Flynn has put his name forward for vetting and been approved by the SNP as a potential candidate for next year’s Scottish Parliament elections.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon has become the third member of John Swinney ’s Cabinet to announce they will not stand in next year’s election
He is seen as a potential successor to Mr Swinney if he secures a seat at Holyrood, and many of his close allies are also seeking seats in the Scottish parliament.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: ‘Is this really the best the SNP have to offer Scots next year?
’A list of MPs who were turfed out of the Commons last year and their erstwhile leader who is clearly bored now that he has a lower profile at Westminster.
‘Stephen Flynn thought nothing of trying to bulldoze past a sitting female SNP MSP last year in search of a Holyrood seat.
’Rather than standing up to his ruthlessly ambitious colleague, John Swinney has caved into him.’
On Ms Gougeon’s decision to step down next year, Ms Hamilton said: ‘John Swinney must be wondering who will be next, as sitting MSPs continue to desert the SNP ahead of next year’s election.
‘It is becomingly increasingly clear that a number of nationalists, including senior figures, simply do not want to defend the SNP’s appalling failures over the last 18 years when speaking to voters up and down Scotland.’
Details of the list of current and former MPs approved as potential candidates were disclosed by Holyrood magazine.
The three current MPs on the list mean that the SNP could lose one-third of its current group of nine at Westminster.
Other former MPs who lost their jobs last year and are now on the approved candidates list include Hannah Bardell, Steven Bonnar, Deidre Brock, Alan Brown, Amy Callaghan, Allan Dorans, David Linden, Anne McLaughlin, Kirsten Oswald, Anum Qaisar, Tommy Sheppard, Alyn Smith, Alison Thewliss and Richard Thomson.
Although each current and former MP is approved as a potential candidate, they still need to decide whether to put their name forward for nomination in specific constituencies in the coming weeks.
Liberal Democrat Scottish affairs spokesman Christine Jardine said: ‘One thing is for sure, with the nationalists expected to slip backwards in the Scottish Parliament too, it’s going to be a bitter bunfight for seat selections.’
Nominations for SNP candidates in local constituencies are expected to open on Monday.
An SNP spokesperson said: ‘We look forward to fielding a strong selection of candidates who are ready to stand up for their communities and move Scotland towards independence.’
Announcing her decision not to stand in next year’s election, Ms Gougeon, MSP for Angus North and Mearns, told the Courier: ‘Come 2026, I will have been in an elected position for just about half of my life and the time has come for me to take a step back from frontline politics and pursue new opportunities.’
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