A host of MPs from across Tayside and Fife have announced they will quit Westminster at the next election – including senior SNP figures.
Those who have said they will stand down include Mhairi Black, the party’s deputy leader in the House of Commons, and former group leader Ian Blackford.
With changes to the electoral map, it means the next group of Scottish MPs will look quite different.
We’ve taken a look at all the local seats across Tayside and Fife, with details below about how constituencies will change and who plans to contest them.
Dundee
Locally, long-serving nationalist MP Stewart Hosie, who has represented Dundee East since 2005, will step back from elected politics.
Mr Hosie, 60, said he had made the decision after a “great deal of thought”, saying it had been the “greatest privilege” of his life to represent the city.
SNP contenders for the new Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency, which will replace Mr Hosie’s Dundee East seat, include Maryfield councillor Lynne Short.
Others touted as possible candidates for the party, who will be strong favourites to hold onto the constituency, include councillors Serena Cowdy and Steven Rome.
In Dundee West, current MP Chris Law has confirmed to The Courier he wants to return as a member of parliament.
The seat will be replaced by a new constituency known as Dundee Central.
Angus
Angus SNP MP Dave Doogan is seeking re-election in the newly named Angus and Perthshire Glens constituency.
He will face competition in the form of current Tory MSP Stephen Kerr, who hopes to jump ship from the Scottish Parliament to Westminster in that constituency.
Mr Doogan told us: “Being elected as the MP for Angus in 2019 remains the privilege of my life and I remain indebted to the people of Angus for this honour.”
Fife
In Fife, Glenrothes MP Peter Grant announced he will not stand again after first being elected in 2015.
Douglas Chapman, who represents Dunfermline and West Fife, has also said he will not return to the Commons after claiming there had been an internal plot to unseat him.
One name touted to stand under the SNP banner for the new Dunfermline and Dollar constituency is Fife councillor Naz Anis-Miah.
Fellow councillor Stefan Hoggan-Radu said before Mr Chapman stood down that seeking the party’s nomination was “not on his radar”
The Courier understands an internal selection for both constituencies as well as the new Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy seat – currently represented by Alba MP Neale Hanvey – are underway and like to conclude by August.
Elsewhere in the Kingdom, Liberal Democrat Wendy Chamberlain – who has a majority of just over 1,300 – is hoping to hold onto her North East Fife seat.
The seat was previously one of the most closely fought in the UK – with the SNP holding it with just two votes in 2017 before losing it to Ms Chamberlain in 2019.
Perth and Kinross
Veteran SNP MP Pete Wishart, who has sat in the House of Commons since 2001, has announced his intention to seek re-election.
His current Perth and North Perthshire constituency is to be replaced with a new Perth and Kinross-shire seat – which contains about 60% of the area he currently serves.
The rest of the constituency will be made up by the current area represented by Ochil and South Perthshire MP John Nicolson.
Mr Nicolson told The Courier he will also seek re-election in the new Alloa and Grangemouth constituency.
