Overview

• SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn will contest the Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine seat, replacing outgoing MSP Audrey Nicoll.
• Former SNP MPs Alison Thewliss, Alyn Smith, Kirsten Oswald, Patricia Gibson, Martyn Day, and David Linden have been selected for key constituencies.
• The lineup comes as more than 20 current SNP MSPs, including prominent figures like Nicola Sturgeon and Shona Robison, plan to exit politics in 2026.
• SNP election campaign chair Angus Robertson describes the candidates as 'talented and diverse,' emphasizing the party's focus on economic recovery and public services under John Swinney's leadership.
• Scottish Labour criticizes the SNP's candidate renewal as lacking meaningful change, highlighting the inclusion of MPs who lost their seats in 2024.