MSPs facing Holyrood de-selection as SNP contests end

Colin Beattie, the former party treasurer, ex social security minister Ben Macpherson and East Kilbride MSP Collette Stevenson are all at risk of losing out to rivals following 25 hotly fought contests behind closed doors.

First Minister John Swinney is to unveil the successful candidates on Wednesday - when the SNP ramps up campaigning as the count down to polling day begins. June 5 will also see a Holyrood by-election take place in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse following the death of the SNP MSP Christina McKelvie in March.

Mr Beattie, who has represented Midlothian North and Musselburgh since 2011, is being challenged by Midlothian Council leader Kelly Parry.

The backbench MSP was arrested as part of the long running Police Scotland investigation Operation Branchform into SNP finances in 2023.

SNP MSP Colin Beattie (Image: Colin Beattie) Mr Beattie was released without charge in April that year and in March this year it was announced he, along with former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, was no longer under investigation.

However, some local members have questioned how effective he was in his role as national treasurer and sources say the former banker could be vulnerable.

"People are wondering if it may be time for a change and whether he may be such a good fit?" said one observer.

READ MORE: 

Swinney risks SNP backlash by 'putting independence on the backburner'

Kenny MacAskill calls for 'independence summit' with John Swinney and SNP

Why Greene defection raises major questions over Tory strategy to tackle Reform

Swinney urged to improve workers' skills to boost economic growth

Last chance for SNP to deliver on key policies beckons

Warning Scotland's education system 'teeters on the edge of collapse'

Mr Beattie told The Herald on Sunday: "The views of local members on all candidates will become evident next Tuesday and I am content to await their decision.”

Mr Macpherson, who has represented Edinburgh Northern and Leith since 2016 and held a number of ministerial roles from 2018 to 2023,  is being challenged by Councillor Adam Nols-McVey, the former leader of Edinburgh city council with the latter backed by former Edinburgh East MP Tommy Sheppard.

SNP MSP Ben Macpherson (Image: Getty) A column the former minister wrote for The Scotsman back in March 2023 calling for a slow down in the approach to independence and appearing to question how ready Scotland was to become independent is understood to have had a frosty response from some party members in his constituency.

"I think the question for the SNP now is how it pivots to working more with others to build consensus, and responsibly deliver more of a gradual process of further constitutional change for Scotland," he wrote.

"Many in the population, including in the independence movement, reasonably question if Scotland is ready, yet, to transition to full statehood. I’m not afraid to admit that such honest and important concerns have some justification. The fact is – and facts matter – Scotland doesn’t yet have all the necessary 21st century state infrastructure to quickly transition to a successful, modern independent country in the short-to-medium-term."

SNP MSP Collette Stevenson (Image: Ken Jack) In contrast Councillor Nols-McVey, who has represented the Leith area for 13 years, which is part of the constituency, is calling for the push on independence to speed up.

"I think it is fair to say members have a straightforward choice. I want to go up a gear on independence," he told The Herald on Sunday.

"I really want to take the argument to the people and sustain that. Ben's view, which he has parroted through this selection contest, is that we should go down a gear on independence and that Scotland is not ready to become an independent country.

"Now I respect his view. But I disagree with his opinion. I think Scotland is ready to become independent. I think in terms of state infrastructure Scotland is in a better position to be independent than any other country that has ever taken its independence."

Responding to Mr Nols-McVey, Mr Macpherson pointed out that his current seat of Edinburgh Northern and Leith was being split in half under Boundary Commission changes and that he had encouraged the contest when he heard that Mr Nols-McVey wanted to stand.

He said the comments he made in 2023 were in the context of Ms Sturgeon calling for the next general election to be used as a "de facto referendum" and that only a "small number" of party members were not happy with what he said.

At the time other senior figures in the SNP were warning of possible pitfalls of such an approach.

“My responsible approach to achieving statehood for Scotland is supported by many other SNP members and is, I strongly believe, aligned with where most independence supporting voters, and crucially undecided voters, are on the constitutional question." he told The Herald on Sunday.

"Scotland is in a very strong position to become independent, but achieving and transitioning to statehood is also a serious practical process.

"While I and other independence supporters may be impatient, we also have to work hard and be realistic to win over an unstoppable majority, which is what will secure another legally binding referendum and actually deliver independence.

"I am a grafter, reliable and popular locally, and I am proud to be seeking support to stand again on my solid track-record of helping constituents, winning elections, getting things done in Parliament and the community, and meaningfully helping to progress our country forward through very challenging times. With respect to them, those who propose that they can somehow magically push forward independence by making more noise are simply not credible.”

Ms Stevenson, first elected to Holyrood in 2021, has local  senior activist Caroline Belch, who works for an armed forces charity, standing against her.

"Caroline is a very capable woman," said one local member who predicted a close contest.
Ms Belch is also being backed by the former MSP for East Kilbride Linda Fabiani, who served as deputy presiding officer in Holyrood from 2016 to 2021.

Meanwhile, the SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn will be among the party's Holyrood 2026 candidates to be officially unveiled this week.

Mr Flynn's bid got off to a rocky start last November when he declared he hoped to stand as the candidate for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine.

His announcement was met with anger in some quarters of the party and left many SNP MSPs wondering what was going to happen to their highly regarded colleague Audrey Nicoll.

Ms Nicoll, a former senior police officer, has been convener of the criminal justice committee since 2021 and has won praise for expertly guiding huge and complex reforms through the parliament including controversial legislation relating to the early release of short term prisoners and on how sexual offences are prosecuted.

She initially said she wanted to stand again in the seat at the next election, though later announced that she had decided against.

Mr Flynn won the party's nomination when rival, Anouk Kloppert, an SNP councillor in Aberdeenshire, pulled out of the race at the end of March.

He is to be joined by fellow MP Stephen Gethins, and former Westminster colleagues Allan Dorrans, Patricia Gibson and Alan Brown, all of whom have already been confirmed as candidates.

It could mean as many as ten SNP MPs who lost their seats at last year's general election could be poised to re enter parliamentary politics with a chance of being elected to Holyrood.

Former MPs Alison Thewliss, David Linden, Martyn Day, Alyn Smith and Richard Thomson could also be among the 2026 Holyrood candidates.

They are hoping to be selected as the candidate for Glasgow Central, Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston, Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Stirling and Angus North and Mearns - though all are facing rivals in the contests.

Whatever the results of the internal selection contests, the SNP MSPs who will be sitting in the parliament will be quite different from the current group.

Some 27 of the MSPs elected under party colours last time are not standing again including former First Ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf.

MSP for Inverness Fergus Ewing and his sister Annabelle Ewing, who was first elected to Holyrood in 2011 as MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, and who has represented Cowdenbeath since 2016, are also both not standing as SNP candidates - though Mr Ewing has left open the possibility that he may stand as an independent.

Recent polling has suggested that while the SNP is on course to lose seats in 2026, it will remain the largest party in Holyrood.

Labour had been leading in the polls following the July general election victory, however Anas Sarwar's party has seen a decline in popularity after Sir Keir Starmer's early period in government.

Ms Stevenson was approached for comment.

A spokeswoman for the SNP said: "The SNP look forward to fielding a strong selection of candidates who are ready to stand up for their communities and work tirelessly to improve the lives of people across Scotland.”