Two of the SNP’s most senior figures will go head to head in a contest to replace Ruth Davidson at Holyrood.
MP Joanna Cherry has confirmed she is seeking her party’s nomination in Edinburgh Central at next year’s Scottish Parliament election.
She said on Twitter that, after consulting with SNP activists in Edinburgh Central and her Edinburgh South West constituency, she had “decided to accede to their request”.
After consulting with @EdinCentralSNP & #EdinburghSouthWest activists I’ve decided to accede to their request to seek @theSNP candidacy for the #EdinburghCentral constituency in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. I’ll do so when nominations open in April
— Joanna Cherry QC (@joannaccherry) February 22, 2020
Her announcement comes days after former deputy leader Angus Robertson confirmed he is seeking the party’s nomination for the seat.
Mr Robertson, who lost his seat as Moray MP in 2017, tweeted yesterday that the SNP winning the seat “is crucial for the independence cause” and that it would “take a full-time candidate”.
Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson won the seat in 2016 with a majority of 610.
Edinburgh Central's Tory MSP wants to be in the House of Lords and working for a London PR company rather than her constituents. If you think @RuthDavidsonMSP should resign NOW so there can be a by-election, please retweet. #EdinburghCentral #fulltimeMSP
— Angus Robertson (@AngusRobertson) February 19, 2020
Earlier this month it was reported she had been nominated for a seat in the Lords by Boris Johnson.
Miss Cherry, who led a legal challenge that resulted in Johnson’s suspension of Parliament being declared unlawful, has admitted she would like to be a future SNP leader.
Mr Robertson has also been tipped as a potential successor to Nicola Sturgeon.
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