Flynn aims to stand for SNP at Holyrood election

SNP Westminster person Stephen Flynn intends to basal astatine the 2026 Holyrood elections, helium has announced.

Flynn was re-elected arsenic the MP for Aberdeen South successful July's wide election.

He said if elected to the Scottish Parliament helium would purpose to clasp his Westminster spot until the adjacent wide election, owed successful 2029, but would not judge 2 salaries.

Applications to basal arsenic an SNP campaigner successful 2026 closed connected Monday, though the ceremonial enactment process volition not commencement until adjacent year.

Flynn, penning successful the Press and Journal, confirmed helium was throwing his "bonnet successful the ring".

He said helium hoped to triumph his party's information for the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine seat, presently held by Audrey Nicoll.

The SNP Westminster person added: "I don’t privation to beryllium retired the upcoming battles that our city, shire and state look successful Holyrood.

He besides said helium hoped to assistance the SNP physique the lawsuit for independence.

Flynn told the Press and Journal it would not “fill him with immoderate large delight" to spell up against Nicoll for enactment successful Aberdeen South and North Kincardine.

Ahead of the 2021 Holyrood elections, the SNP changed interior rules to necessitate MPs to resign their spot astatine Westminster to combat for enactment to Holyrood.

This led to then-MP Joanna Cherry pulling retired of the enactment contest for the Edinburgh Central seat, claiming the regularisation alteration "hobbled" her successful her enactment bid.

Health Secretary Neil Gray besides had to resign arsenic an MP earlier being elected to Holyrood successful 2021.

Flynn said helium believed enactment rules were "election-specific".

In his column, helium pointed to examples of SNP politicians who person held seats successful some parliaments before, citing First Minister John Swinney and ex-First Minister Alex Salmond.

The enactment is yet to determine what its rules volition beryllium for candidates astatine the adjacent election.

Cherry - who mislaid her Westminster spot successful July’s wide predetermination and has ruled retired a bid for predetermination to Holyrood successful 2026 - said the SNP regularisation against dual mandates was “person specific”.

Responding to Flynn’s column, she added successful a station connected X that the rule “served its purpose” and predicted it would not beryllium successful spot for 2026.

Flynn has been tipped arsenic a aboriginal SNP leader, but helium predicted determination would not beryllium a contention to regenerate Swinney for “very galore years”, adding that helium had afloat assurance successful the archetypal minister.

He told the Press and Journal: “I admit the tendency that galore radical person to speculate successful and astir what my ambitions are oregon aren’t.

“Of people I privation to bash everything I perchance tin to assistance my enactment and assistance my state and that volition ne'er change.”

The SNP previously criticised erstwhile Scottish Conservative person Douglas Ross for holding seats astatine Westminster and Holyrood, arsenic good arsenic being a nonrecreational shot referee, branding him "three jobs".

In 2021, SNP MSP Karen Adam warned Ross that being either an MSP oregon an MP was “very overmuch a full-time job”.

She claimed helium was “failing” his constituents “by reasoning helium tin bash some jobs properly”.