Angus Robertson formally declares he is bidding to be SNP candidate in Edinburgh Central

FORMER SNP depute leader Angus Robertson today formally announced he is bidding to become the party’s candidate in Edinburgh Central at next year’s Scottish Parliament elections.

The former Moray MP, who played a key role in the SNP’s Holyrood election victories in 2007 and 2011, said he believed he could win the seat from the Tories.

In a video posted on social media, he said: "Edinburgh Central is a key constituency for the SNP to secure a pro-independence majority in next year’s Scottish Parliament elections. I believe I can win here with the support of SNP members and voters of all parties who don’t want to see the area represented by a pro-Brexit MSP.”

His official declaration sets up what is expected to be a fierce battle for the nomination between Mr Robertson and Joanna Cherry, currently MP for Edinburgh South West and the SNP’s justice and home affairs spokeswoman at Westminster.

Mr Robertson used his column in the Evening News to signal in February that he was planning to seek the Edinburgh Central nomination. Just a few days later Ms Cherry – who won the Supreme Court case against Boris Johnson over prorogation of parliament during last year’s Brexit saga – confirmed she too was interested in the seat.

The current MSP for Edinburgh Central is former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, who was elected with a narrow 610 majority at the last Holyrood elections in 2016, but she is standing down and the SNP is expected to win the seat.

Mr Robertson and Ms Cherry are both key figures in the party and both tipped as possible candidates for the leadership, but take different stances on the best approach to winning independence.

Mr Robertson is seen as a key ally of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and backs her insistence on the need to follow the same path as in 2014 and continuing to press Westminster to agree to a referendum rather than risking a Catalonia-style unofficial vote.

Ms Cherry has urged a bolder approach over Indyref2 and argued that Holyrood should respond to Boris Johnson's refusal to agree to another referendum by passing a Bill to hold a fresh vote and allowing it to be tested in court.

Mr Robertson grew up in Stockbridge, went to Broughton High School and is now back living in the Capital with his wife and baby.

He was MP for Moray from 2001 until 2017, when the Tories won the seat. He served as the party’s Westminster leader for ten years until 2017 and was also SNP depute leader for the last year. After losing his seat he set up polling and research organisation Progress Scotland.

In his video, he said:

"I grew up in Edinburgh Central, I work here today, this is where I lives. I understand the different issues that matter to people and communities right across Edinburgh Central.

"If you want to elect a hard-working local MSP with high profile national experience who will support First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and deliver independence, please support my campaign.”

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Angus Robertson formally declares he is bidding to be SNP candidate in Edinburgh Central

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