A SENIOR SNP politician at the centre of a high-profile selection battle has moved to stop party colleagues endorsing candidates.

Joanna Cherry QC told fellow MPs that publicly backing a candidate in the Edinburgh Central contest would be against party rules.

The Herald: Camley's Cartoon: Battle for Edinburgh Central.Camley's Cartoon: Battle for Edinburgh Central.

But this was questioned by Alison Thewliss, the SNP’s treasury spokeswoman in Westminster, who said this only applied to members of the party’s ruling National Executive Committee.

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The dispute emerged in leaked WhatsApp messages obtained by The National newspaper.

Ms Cherry, the MP for Edinburgh South West, is fighting to secure her party’s nomination for the Edinburgh Central seat at the next Holyrood election, where the Tory majority is just 610.

However, Angus Robertson, the SNP’s former Westminster leader, also wants to stand in the seat.

Both are seen as potential successors to Nicola Sturgeon, and the selection contest has been described as a battle for the soul of the SNP.

On Twitter, Mr Robertson insisted endorsements "are a key part of candidate selection process across the democratic world from the US Democrats to the SNP" - and posted a picture of Ms Cherry previously endorsing him for the SNP depute leadership.

In the leaked WhatsApp messages, Ms Cherry told fellow MPs: “Dear colleagues here are the Selection Rules – Scottish Parliament Elections 2021*. Para 11.3 is very important. Relevant parts of the Constitution: Members. 4 Membership. 4.1 The rights of membership include - ...(e) voting to select the Party’s candidates at public elections...Para 11.3 states that party officers and elected members...must not seek to influence the votes of members by recommending a vote for a particular candidate or stating that their organisation is supporting a particular candidate.

“I will not be asking any of you to breach these rules in regards to Edinburgh Central and wd ask you not to do so re any other potential nominees.”

Ms Thewliss, who represents Glasgow Central, replied: “You’ve missed out ‘acting in their official capacity’ in that...”

Ms Cherry responded: “Yes but if you tweet from your official MP account you are acting in an official capacity. Privately you are of course free to do as you please.

“There are good reasons for this rule. Whoever is selected the whole party needs to get behind. Hence the need to avoid obvious division. Which I am doing.”

READ MORE: Cherry in veiled dig at Robertson for losing his seat as SNP selection fight rages

Ms Thewliss said: “My understanding of those rules is that it refers to elected members of the NEC, not MPs. It’s in the section about organisational neutrality. I mention this because I highlighted this section at NEC.”

Ms Cherry replied: “Hhmmmm. Not my understanding but perhaps clarification can be sought.”

The SNP has been asked to clarify the rules.