Two top Edinburgh Tories snubbed as party chooses candidates for 2021 Holyrood elections

TWO top Edinburgh Tories have been snubbed by a local party over who should stand as their candidate in next year's Scottish Parliament elections.
Jeremy Balfour was elected as a list MSP for Lothian in 2016Jeremy Balfour was elected as a list MSP for Lothian in 2016
Jeremy Balfour was elected as a list MSP for Lothian in 2016

Lothian MSP Jeremy Balfour and Iain Whyte, leader of the Tory group on the city council, both failed to make the Conservatives’ shortlist for Edinburgh Western.

Instead, local party members will be asked to choose between three other councillors.

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One source said it was not clear why the local party executive had excluded two experienced candidates.

Iain Whyte is leader of the Tory group on the city councilIain Whyte is leader of the Tory group on the city council
Iain Whyte is leader of the Tory group on the city council

"It was a surprise - Jeremy is a sitting MSP and used to be councillor for part of the area. Iain is leader of the council group and has been around a long time. It's a strange decision. There were eight or nine applications and before putting it to all members the executive reduced it to three."

It is understood Mr Balfour is the only Tory MSP who wants to stand again who has not yet found a seat. But Midlothian North & Musselburgh, where he stood last time, has yet to choose a candidate, and for the first time the Tories will also field some candidates who only stand on the regional list.

Another insider said: “It would reflect badly on the party if the only physically disabled MSP does not get selected. We don’t have any women candidates in Lothian yet either. The party needs to look at its diversity – disabled people, women and ethnic minorities. It won’t look good if all our candidates are white, middle-class males.”

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Those who did make the Edinburgh Western shortlist are Almond ward councillor and Tory finance spokesman Graham Hutchison, who stood for Edinburgh West at last year's Westminster election; Pentland Hills councillor and transport spokeswoman Susan Webber; and Corstorphine/Murrayfield councillor Scott Douglas. The choice is due to be made next week.

Other seats where the Tories have yet to choose candidates include Edinburgh Central, where former Scottish party leader Ruth Davidson is standing down as MSP and Cllr Whyte has been tipped as one of the contenders, and SNP-held Edinburgh Eastern.

Mr Balfour and Cllr Whyte both declined to comment.

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