The current Westminster leader of the SNP, Stephen Flynn, has declared his intention to run as an MSP at the 2026 Holyrood election.
Flynn, who has been the MP for Aberdeen South since 2019 and SNP’s Westminster leader since 2022, is hoping to win his party’s nomination for the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine seat which is currently held by Audrey Nicholl.
Flynn has said that he would like to remain as an MP until the next general election but would not accept two salaries.
His decision to run has divided the party. Many senior SNP politicians have spoke in favour of Stephen Flynn’s decision to run – this includes the Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes who said that ‘he was exactly the type of person that Holyrood needed.’ Many Scottish MSPs have come out against Flynn, however; Emma Roddick, the party’s MSP for the Highlands and Islands region in Scotland, has expressed concern that someone can be a good MSP whilst still serving as an MP.
However, in 2021 the SNP changed their internal rules to require MPs to resign from their seats at Westminster if they wished to run for a seat at Holyrood. The change led to Joanna Cherry withdrawing from running for Holyrood and forced Neil Gray to resign as an MP to run for Holyrood in 2021.
Many Scottish politicians have held seats in both parliaments, most notably both Alex Salmond and John Swinney held seats in both parliaments. Previously, Flynn had criticised former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross for attempting to make a similar move in July’s general election.
It remains to be seen if the SNP will change their internal rules to allow for their politicians to hold office at Holyrood and Westminster.
Hi I’m Nathan, the News Editor. I’m a journalism and politics fourth-year student at Strathclyde. I enjoy all things sport and I’m passionate about politics.
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