SNP MP Neil Gray will have to quit his Westminster seat after being named as the party’s Holyrood candidate for Airdrie and Shotts.
Under a controversial new rule on dual mandates, brought in at the start of the year, he’ll need to stand down from the Commons, close his office, and make his staff redundant three or four months in advance of the Scottish Parliament vote in May.
It’s a huge risk as losing the seat in the election would see him out of frontline politics altogether.
Though it is a fairly safe SNP seat.
It’s currently held by Alex Neil, with a majority of 6192.
Shortly after The National revealed that the party’s ruling NEC was changing the rules on dual mandates, Joanna Cherry announced she was ending her bid to be the SNP’s candidate in Edinburgh Central, saying it was unreasonable for the party to “demand that a parliamentarian make themselves and their constituency staff unemployed in order to be eligible to be a candidate.”
READ MORE: SNP selection results: These are the SNP's candidates for Holyrood 2021
Last night Gray tweeted: “I’m truly honoured to have been selected as @theSNP candidate for Airdrie and Shotts. Thank you to local members for putting their faith in me to follow the incredible @AlexNeilSNP as Holyrood candidate.
“Hard work ahead to earn & re-earn support of voters & win our independence!”
His former Westminster colleague Michelle Thomson has also been selected for Holyrood, winning the candidacy for Falkirk East.
She’s not always had the best relationship with the party. In late-September 2015, when Police Scotland announced it had launched an inquiry into “alleged irregularities” related to property transactions which had seen her solicitor struck off, she stood down from the SNP.
Though she later said the party had forced her to resign the whip.
In August 2017, the investigation was dropped. Former Scottish Government minister Kenny MacAskill said the SNP had lessons to learn over their handling of her case.
She rejoined the SNP in October 2018.
Other notable selections include Jim Fairlie in Perthshire South. The well-known farmer and local activist saw off a stiff challenge from others including former MP Steven Gethins.
In Glasgow Kelvin, Kaukab Stewart won the selection. If elected she will be the first BAME woman in Holyrood.
Renfrewshire North & West ended in a tie, and will therefore go to a re-ballot.
Voting is still open in Argyll and Bute. The selection was delayed by the death of the convenor of the local constituency association, John MacMillan.
The contest was also delayed in Cunninghame North amidst a row over allegations about incumbent Kenny Gibson’s conduct.
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