Former Moray MP Angus Robertson has taken a step forward to front-line politics after winning the selection contest to represent the SNP at next year’s election.
The party’s previous leader at Westminster, Mr Robertson was unseated by Scottish Conservative boss Douglas Ross in 2017.
He will fight for the Edinburgh Central constituency in May, which is currently held by the Scottish Conservative Ruth Davidson.
Fife incumbents win
In Fife, both incumbent MSPs in Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline — David Torrance and social security cabinet secretary Shirley-Anne Sommerville — won their contests to stand in May’s Holyrood vote for the party.
Mr Torrance fended off a challenge from former Kirkcaldy MP Richard Mullin.
In the race to replace outgoing MSP Roseanna Cunningham in Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Jim Fairlie pipped former SNP front-bencher Stephen Gethins.
Former SNP communications chief Fergus Mutch will represent the party for Aberdeenshire West, beating former MEP Christian Allard, among others.
Full list of candidates:
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
Paisley – 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.
Six months until election
SNP depute leader 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.”