Robertson aims for Holyrood seat
ANGUS ROBERTSON, the SNP’S former leader at Westminster, has announced he hopes to stand for Holyrood in the seat now held by Ruth Davidson.
Mr Robertson, a close ally of Nicola Sturgeon, confirmed he would seek the SNP candidacy in Edinburgh Central, where the Tory majority is just 610.
After quitting as Scottish Tory leader last year, Ms Davidson said she would stand down as an MSP at the 2021 election, creating a vacancy in a plum target constituency for the SNP.
Mr Robertson, 50, was the MP for Moray for 16 years until he lost in the 2017 General Election to Tory Douglas Ross, now a Scottish Office minister.
The defeat led to Ian Blackford becoming SNP leader at Westminster.
It also led to Mr Robertson being replaced as SNP depute leader by
MSP Keith Brown in 2018.
Mr Robertson has since set up the pro-independence operation Progress Scotland and moved with his family to Edinburgh, becoming a columnist for the Edinburgh Evening News. Mr Robertson confirmed his plans in a column for the paper yesterday.
He said: “After months of kind encouragement from Edinburgh Central SNP members, I have decided I will seek the SNP nomination for the constituency.
“If SNP selection rules allow me to stand, I will ask local members to vote for me in the internal selection which takes place in the next months.”
Referring to Ms Davidson’s potential elevation to the House of Lords and her abortive attempt to take a £50,000-ayear public relations job while still an MSP, he accused her of putting “other career interests in London ahead of the people she still represents at Holyrood”.
He said: “At present, the heart of Scotland’s capital city is represented by somebody who would prefer to be in the House of Lords and pursuing a career in public relations.
“Edinburgh Central needs an MSP that has a full-time commitment to their
I will not pretend to constituents I can be in two places at the same time
constituents and constituency, and the SNP needs a full-time candidate to win this important seat.
“I believe I am best placed to be that candidate. I will not pretend to constituents that I can be in two places at the same time.”
Although born in London, Mr Robertson stressed his Edinburgh roots, having grown up in Stockbridge in Edinburgh Central and attended Broughton High School.
Before becoming an MP, Mr Robertson worked as a journalist, including for the BBC World Service.
Mr Robertson is a shoo-in for the Edinburgh Central candidacy unless Edinburgh South West MP Joanna Cherry also goes for it.
Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw refused to say if Ms Davidson had told him she wanted to quit the seat as soon as possible, meaning a by-election.
“I’m not having a discussion with you about private discussions I’ve had with colleagues,” he told the media when pushed on the issue yesterday.
The SNP also confirmed last night that Bruce Crawford is to stand down as the MSP for Stirling next year after being at Holyrood since 1999.
Mr Crawford, 65, a former minister for Parliament Business, is currently the widely respected chairman of Holyrood’s finance committee and convener of the SNP’S MSP group.
He said: “While I am still enjoying being an MSP my wife has retired and we have three wonderful young grandchildren for whom we want to create much more space in our lives.
“With the opinion polls now in our favour I believe Scottish independence is inevitable, and it’s coming soon. When that bright day dawns I look forward to watching my grandchildren prosper in our independent future.”
The Scottish Tories confirmed singleterm North East List MSP Peter Chapman, 69, and four-term Central Scotland list MSP Margaret Mitchell, 67, will also stand down in 2021.