SNP’s Stephen Flynn addresses ‘unpleasant’ internal reaction to 2026 Holyrood election bid

Stephen Flynn, who leads the Scottish National Party (SNP) in Westminster, characterized the internal party dispute surrounding his intention to contest the 2026 Scottish Parliament election as “unedifying.” Mr. Flynn presently serves as the Member of Parliament for Aberdeen South in the House of Commons. However, the previous week, the MP declared his plan to seek election for the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine constituency in Holyrood, a seat presently occupied by SNP member Audrey Nicoll. Mr. Flynn stated his intention to retain his Westminster seat until the subsequent general election, scheduled for 2029, while clarifying he would not receive dual salaries. This declaration, published in The Press and Journal newspaper, has generated discontent within the SNP. Speaking on BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show, Mr. Flynn commented: “None of this is particularly edifying for anyone. “I don’t want to be doing this, I don’t want to be having these discussions on television, trying to defend myself. “But that’s the reality of politics sometimes – it’s not pleasant. “I’m not going to shy away, I’m not going to be hounded out from standing for what I believe in.” Mr. Flynn remarked that individuals pursuing unconventional approaches in politics invariably elicit a significant response. When questioned if Ms. Nicoll expressed anger upon learning of his desire to contest her seat, he responded: “No.” He further stated, “She told me she wasn’t overly surprised.” He described the circumstances as “not a pleasant situation” for both himself and Ms. Nicoll. Mr. Flynn disclosed that he contacted Ms. Nicoll the evening prior to publicizing his intention to stand, but he unequivocally denied requesting her to withdraw her candidacy. He characterized their discussion as a “fairly cordial conversation” during which he communicated his objectives. Mr. Flynn expressed his hope for a campaign conducted with integrity and goodwill. However, an individual close to Ms. Nicoll informed BBC Scotland News that she perceived an “underlying inference” in the phone call suggesting he wished for her to step aside. According to Mr. Flynn, the conversation between him and Ms. Nicoll would probably have occurred earlier, were it not for “significant goings on in Aberdeen locally.” This statement seemingly alluded to Ms. Nicoll’s husband, Alex Nicoll, a former co-leader of Aberdeen City Council, resigning from the party and voicing criticism of its decisions within the city. Prior to the 2021 election, the SNP amended its internal regulations, mandating that Members of Parliament resign their Westminster seats to seek selection for Holyrood. This alteration was largely interpreted as an effort to prevent Joanna Cherry, then the MP for Edinburgh South West and a frequent internal party critic, from contesting. The party’s governing body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), possesses the authority to revoke this rule for contests preceding 2026. Mr. Flynn has stated his understanding that this rule was “election specific.” He remarked: “The rules don’t preclude me from standing – that would be a decision for the NEC.” First Minister John Swinney indicated last week that the SNP had not yet determined whether its elected officials could maintain a dual mandate, which involves an individual holding seats in both Westminster and Holyrood. Mr. Swinney, who himself held positions in both parliaments from 1999 to 2001, informed BBC Scotland News: “We’ve had times in the past when we’ve had dual mandates – I had a dual mandate myself for two years in the early days of devolution.“The party has got to come to its conclusions about these particular issues and it will do in the fullness of time.” Mr. Flynn further disclosed that Mr. Swinney was informed of his intentions before the public announcement. He commented: “The people who needed to know what my intentions were, were aware of what my intentions were.” While Mr. Flynn has been identified as a potential future leader of the SNP, he stated that a contest to succeed Mr. Swinney would not occur for a “long, long time,” characterizing any such leadership election as being in the “dim and distant future.” Mr. Flynn explained his desire to retain his Westminster seat, which shares geographical areas with the Holyrood constituency he aims to contest, in order to prevent a potentially expensive by-election. He also reaffirmed his commitment not to accept an additional parliamentary salary. The SNP has previously criticized Douglas Ross, the former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, for simultaneously holding seats in Westminster and Holyrood, in addition to his role as a professional football referee. During the SNP conference in August, Mr. Flynn light-heartedly remarked that Mr. Ross had “one too many work commitments.” Furthermore, in 2021, SNP MSP Karen Adam asserted that Mr. Ross was “failing” his constituents “by thinking he can do both jobs properly.” Mr. Flynn’s remarks followed the SNP’s announcement on Saturday that its National Executive Committee (NEC) intended to eliminate 10 of the party’s 26 headquarters positions. A consultation process with employees has commenced, alongside the introduction of a voluntary redundancy program, as part of an effort to reduce expenses for a party that has encountered difficulties in attracting significant donors. Mr. Flynn characterized this action as a “tough, but necessary, decision.” The Westminster leader was also questioned regarding the controversy surrounding Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray’s use of a ministerial vehicle to attend football matches. However, Mr. Flynn maintained that it was “not a scandal.” Mr. Gray, whose responsibilities encompass sport, has faced criticism following revelations that he was driven to six football games at Hampden since assuming his ministerial role, with four of these involving the team he supports. The Aberdeen supporter issued an apology last week in a ministerial statement, acknowledging that he should have attended a “wider range” of football matches. Mr. Flynn defended Mr. Gray, stating on The Sunday Show: “Our sports minister going to sporting events is not a scandal.” He asserted, “He’s doing his job and he’s doing his job to the best of his ability.” Mr. Flynn further commented: “What tends to happen in politics is you tend to create relationships, have discussions with people and that could only happen by being in those places at certain times.” He concluded, “Neil is a huge sports fan, I think it’s right that he, as sports minister, goes to sporting matches, I’m struggling to see what the scandal is.” Conversely, Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie, appearing on the same broadcast, characterized the matter as a scandal. She remarked: “You need to think about what your priorities are. “When social care is in crisis, why are you going to football games?” Additionally, Scottish Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy stated that his party had put forth “the very reasonable ask” to the Scottish government for the publication of minutes from meetings conducted at the matches.