Angus Robertson announces bid for Ruth Davidson's Edinburgh seat
The SNP’s former leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson, has announced plans to contest the Scottish parliament seat held by Ruth Davidson.
Mr Robertson revealed that he will be seeking the SNP’s nomination to stand in Edinburgh Central at the 2021 election to try to overturn the Tories’ 610-vote majority when Ms Davidson stands down.
Writing in the Edinburgh Evening News, the former Moray MP accuses Ms Davidson of putting “other career interests in London ahead of the people she still represents at Holyrood” and argued that constituents “deserve better”.
Edinburgh Central needs a full-time MSP and @theSNP needs a full-time candidate. Why I've decided to run for @theSNP nomination in the constituency I grew up in. Column in @edinburghpaper #EdinburghCentral #SNP #SP21🗳️🏴 https://t.co/y0vrbAmHrz
— Angus Robertson (@AngusRobertson) February 18, 2020
Edinburgh Central was won from the SNP by the former Scottish Conservative leader at the last Scottish Parliament election in 2016, but Ms Davidson has indicated she will be stepping down at the next poll.
Announcing his bid to become the SNP’s candidate, Mr Robertson highlighted his links to the capital, having grown up in Stockbridge, and said: “Edinburgh Central deserves a full-time MSP who will put the interests of their constituents first.
“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 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,” he added.
“I will not pretend to constituents that I can be in two places at the same time.”
The former SNP leader in the House of Commons has been linked with standing to become an MSP after losing his Westminster seat to the Conservatives’ Douglas Ross at the 2017 general election.
He has since worked as managing director of pro-independence think-tank and polling organisation Progress Scotland.
Before becoming an MP, Mr Robertson worked as a journalist, including for the BBC World Service as a foreign correspondent, before becoming European and international affairs adviser to the SNP group at Holyrood.
