ANGUS Roberston and Joanna Cherry will stand only for the SNP’s selection in Edinburgh Central and will not enter a contest to become a candidate in another constituency, The National can reveal.
The SNP allows MSP hopefuls to bid for the party’s nominations in more than one seat and there have been calls for both politicians to be considered for selection by a second constituency.
Edinburgh Central is currently held by former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who is standing down ahead of the Holyrood election. She won the seat in 2016 with a slim majority of 610 votes.
Cherry, a QC and the SNP MP for Edinburgh West who is the party’s justice and home affairs spokeswoman in Westminster, and Robertson, the SNP’s former deputy leader and Westminster leader, are popular figures among SNP members and many want them both to be elected to the Scottish Parliament in May next year.
SNP member Suzanne McGuire McLauglin made the point on Twitter yesterday. “Both of them standing for selection in the same seat doesn’t mean that either or both won’t make it into Holyrood. They can also stand for selection in other seats,” she said.
“Any approved candidate can stand for selection in any number of seats. The branch members will vote accordingly and winner will campaign for the seat in public elections. The loser can and probably will be selected elsewhere.”
The calls also follow an intervention by the former SNP MSP for Edinburgh Central, Marco Biagi, asking for a respectful contest amid concerns it could become acrimonious and risk damage to the party.
READ MORE: Angus Robertson questions Joanna Cherry's 'full-time' credentials
Cherry and Robertson both made clear that they will only enter the selection contests for the Edinburgh Central seat.
A spokesman for Cherry said: “Joanna has currently no plans to stand for selection in another seat.”
He added that Cherry welcomed Biagi’s call for the contest to be respectful. “That’s what Joanna set out in her first statement,” he said.
The statement released on Sunday pointed out Cherry lives in Edinburgh Central, had been a member of the branch since 2008 and had consulted with branch members as well as those in Edinburgh South West. It added she had “received strong encouragement to seek the candidacy when nominations open”.
READ MORE: Cherry to step down as MP if she wins Central Edinburgh seat
It confirmed if she wins the nomination and election to Holyrood she would not serve a full term at Westminster and would seek to stand down as an MP.
“I look forward to a forthcoming referendum on Scottish independence. SNP MPs at Westminster have never been there to settle down; I am for settling up. I choose Scotland and hope to be able to play my part as we create a modern independent state,” she said.
Asked about entering a second selection contest, Robertson said: “I am hugely encouraged by the support for my candidacy by SNP members in Edinburgh Central. Given this is where I am from and first joined the SNP, I know the area extremely well and it is the right seat for me.
“It’s already clear that SNP members want the highest level of candidate commitment between selection and election to win this marginal seat. I am committed to doing just that, which is a hugely positive message for campaigners who want the SNP to gain the constituency from the Tories.
“My interest is to be elected as the MSP for Edinburgh Central and work for its constituents, support the SNP in government and Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel