Robertson selected to compete for contested Edinburgh seat

The SNP has confirmed Angus Robertson is to stand for the Edinburgh Central seat in the Holyrood elections in May.

MP Joanna Cherry announced she intended to stand for selection for the seat, currently held by Ruth Davidson, until changes to internal rules meant the MP would have to resign her seat at Westminster to fight for selection.

Ex-Scottish Government minister Marco Biagi, who held the seat from 2011 to 2016, also sought the nomination.

On Friday night, the SNP confirmed 70 of its 73 constituency candidates, including Robertson who was depute leader of the party until 2018.

The final list of 73 constituency candidates will be in place in time for SNP conference later this month.

SNP depute leader and 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.”

List of confirmed SNP candidates for the 2021 Holyrood election as follows:

Aberdeen Central – Kevin Stewart
Aberdeen Donside – Jacqueline Dunbar
Aberdeen South and North Kincardine – Audrey Nicoll
Aberdeenshire East – Gillian Martin
Aberdeenshire West – Fergus Mutch
Airdrie & Shotts – Neil Gray
Almond Valley – Angela Constance
Angus North & Mearns – Mairi Gougeon
Angus South – Graeme Dey
Ayr – Siobhian Brown
Banffshire & Buchan Coast – Karen Adam
Caithness, Sutherland & Ross – Maree Todd
Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley – Elena Whitham
Clackmannanshire & Dunblane – Keith Brown
Clydebank & Milngavie – Marie McNair
Clydesdale – Mairi McAllan
Coatbridge & Chryston – Fulton MacGregor
Cowdenbeath – Annabelle Ewing
Cumbernauld & 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 & 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 & West Dumfries – Emma Harper
Glasgow Anniesland – Bill Kidd
Glasgow Cathcart – James Dornan
Glasgow Kelvin – Kaukab Stewart
Glasgow Maryhill & Springburn – Bob Doris
Glasgow Pollok – Humza Yousaf
Glasgow Provan – Ivan McKee
Glasgow Shettleston – John Mason
Glasgow Southside – Nicola Sturgeon
Greenock & Inverclyde – Stuart McMillan
Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse – Christina McKelvie
Inverness & Nairn – Fergus Ewing
Kilmarknock & Irvine Valley – Willie Coffey
Kirkcaldy – David Torrance
Linlithgow – Fiona Hyslop
Mid Fife & Glenrothes – Jenny Gilruth
Midlothian North & Musselburgh – Colin Beattie
Midlothian South, Tweedale & Lauderdale – Christine Grahame
Moray – Richard Lochhead
Motherwell & 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 & Kinross-shire – Jim Fairlie
Renfrewshire South – Tom Arthur
Rutherglen – Clare Haughey
Shetland – Tom Wills
Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch – Kate Forbes
Stirling – Evelyn Tweed
Strathkelvin & Bearsden – Rona Mackay
Uddingston & Bellshill – Stephanie Callaghan
Renfrewshire North & West ended in a tie and will therefore go to a re-ballot.
Ballots remain open in both Argyll & Bute and Cunninghame North