Angus Robertson among SNP candidates selected for Scottish election

The SNP has selected its candidates for the 2021 Scottish election, with Angus Robertson winning the contest for the Edinburgh Central constituency.

Robertson, the party’s former depute leader and former leader of the Westminster group, beat three other challengers including former minister Marco Biagi to stand in the seat currently held by the Scottish Conservatives’ Ruth Davidson.

He said it is a “huge honour to be selected to run in the constituency where I grew up” while Biagi said it was now time for members to “come together”.

Elsewhere, incumbent MSPs faced off challengers while several prominent party figures failed to win selection.

Former MP Michelle Thomson will stand in Falkirk East.

Stuart McMillan will stand again in Greenock and Inverclyde, as challenger Chris McEleney lost out on selection.

Sarah Masson will go up against Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton in Edinburgh Western, while Catriona MacDonald will face Labour’s Daniel Johnson in Edinburgh Southern.

Former head of SNP communications and strategy Fergus Mutch will stand in Aberdeenshire West.

Jim Fairlie, farmer and brother of the late chef Andrew Fairlie, beat former MP Stephen Gethins in Perthshire South and Kinross-shire.

The party confirmed 70 of its 73 constituency candidates.

Ballots remain open in Argyll and Bute following a local party bereavement while Cunninghame North and West, the seat currently held by Kenneth Gibson, faces a delay due to a dispute over process.

A re-ballot is planned for Renfrewshire North and West following a tied result.

The SNP said that it was on track for a gender-balanced list of candidates and expects the outcomes of the three remaining contests before the party’s conference at the end of November.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Congratulations to the successful candidates and commiserations to the challengers - I’m sure we’ll see more of all of them.

“We have lots of work to do between now and May, to retain the hard earned trust of the Scottish people, and take Scotland forward to independence.”

SNP Depute Leader & Campaign Director Keith Brown said: “The Holyrood election six months from today will be the most important in Scotland’s history, and will determine our country’s future.

“Effective leadership during the global pandemic is proving a real boost to support for an independent Scotland. The SNP will continue to focus on what’s important to the people of Scotland, and each and every day we will work hard to retain the trust placed in us.

“Tory governments at Westminster that we didn’t vote for, led by the likes of Boris Johnson, can’t be trusted to work in Scotland’s interests. 

“Our outstanding field of gender-balanced candidates will be proud to stand on the SNP’s strong record in government, and the right for people in Scotland to decide their own future.”

The current list of SNP candidates for the 2021 Scottish election:

Aberdeen Central – Kevin Stewart

Aberdeen Donside – Jacqueline Dunbar

Aberdeen South and North Kincardine – Audrey Nicoll

Aberdeenshire East – Gillian Martin

Aberdeenshire West – Fergus Mutch

Airdrie and Shotts – Neil Gray

Almond Valley – Angela Constance

Angus North and Mearns – Mairi Gougeon

Angus South – Graeme Dey

Ayr – Siobhian Brown

Banffshire and Buchan Coast – Karen Adam

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross – Maree Todd

Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley – Elena Whitham

Clackmannanshire and Dunblane – Keith Brown

Clydebank and Milngavie – Marie McNair

Clydesdale – Mairi McAllan

Coatbridge and Chryston – Fulton MacGregor

Cowdenbeath – Annabelle Ewing

Cumbernauld and Kilsyth – Jamie Hepburn

Cunninghame South – Ruth Maguire

Dumbarton – Toni Giugliano

Dumfriesshire – Joan McAlpine

Dundee City East – Shona Robison

Dundee City West – Joe FitzPatrick

Dunfermline – Shirley-Anne Sommerville

East Kilbride – Collette Stevenson

East Lothian – Paul McLellan

Eastwood – Colm Merrick

Edinburgh Central – Angus Robertson

Edinburgh Eastern – Ash Denham

Edinburgh Northern and Leith – Ben Macpherson

Edinburgh Pentlands – Gordon MacDonald

Edinburgh Southern – Catriona MacDonald

Edinburgh Western – Sarah Masson

Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire – Paul Wheelhouse

Falkirk East – Michelle Thomson

Falkirk West – Michael Matheson

Galloway and West Dumfries – Emma Harper

Glasgow Anniesland – Bill Kidd

Glasgow Cathcart – James Dornan

Glasgow Kelvin – Kaukab Stewart

Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn – Bob Doris

Glasgow Pollok – Humza Yousaf

Glasgow Provan – Ivan McKee

Glasgow Shettleston – John Mason

Glasgow Southside – Nicola Sturgeon

Greenock and Inverclyde – Stuart McMillan

Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse – Christina McKelvie

Inverness and Nairn – Fergus Ewing

Kilmarknock and Irvine Valley – Willie Coffey

Kirkcaldy – David Torrance

Linlithgow – Fiona Hyslop

Mid Fife and Glenrothes – Jenny Gilruth

Midlothian North and Musselburgh – Colin Beattie

Midlothian South, Tweedale and Lauderdale – Christine Grahame

Moray – Richard Lochhead

Motherwell and Wishaw – Clare Adamson

Na h-Eileanan an Iar – Alasdair Allan

North East Fife – Rhuaraidh Fleming

Orkney – Robert Leslie

Pasiley – George Adam

Perthshire North  - John Swinney

Perthshire South and Kinross-shire – Jim Fairlie

Renfrewshire South – Tom Arthur

Rutherglen – Clare Haughey

Shetland – Tom Wills

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch – Kate Forbes

Stirling – Evelyn Tweed

Strathkelvin and Bearsden – Rona Mackay

Uddingston and Bellshill – Stephanie Callaghan