Flynn puts ‘ego over public interest’ with two-job offer

Stephen Flynn has been accused of putting his “ego and personal advancement” ahead of the public interest in launching his bid for Holyrood.

Former SNP deputy leader Jim Sillars has launched a scathing attack on the party’s Westminster leader, who is accused of plotting to take two positions, that of MP and MP, if he is elected to the Scottish parliament in 2026.

In today’s Mail, he accused the Aberdeen South MP of an “ill-advised takeover” as John Swinney’s successor and said Mr Flynn was trying to “enlighten the people” by suggesting that he could do both jobs at the same time.

He also urged the SNP selection committee to reject Mr Flynn’s candidacy for Holyrood.

It comes amid a continuing backlash against Mr Flynn’s decision to challenge sitting Nationalist MP Audrey Nicoll for the seat of Aberdeen South and North Kincardine.

Mr Sillars claimed Mr Flynn was seeking to go to Holyrood to “take over leadership of the party when Swinney gets his pension” and suggested he had failed to put “the public interest first, ego and personal advancement second.”

He said: “Once analyzed the dual mandate, it is clear that although it may serve the personal interests of an ambitious politician, it will not serve the people.

“Good quality legislation, attention to detail and participation in the work of examining a bill.

“Being aware of the issues facing a parliament, being present when unexpected, dangerous or important events occur, probing an administration, testing the competence of ministers – that is the job of an MP or MP, and this can only be done correctly and effectively by one person focusing on one parliament.

“To pretend otherwise is to annoy the people. »

Mr Sillars said: “If I was a member of the SNP selection committee I would reject his application for Holyrood and send him home to think again.”

Rules were introduced by the SNP ahead of the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections which meant MPs had to resign before seeking selection for Holyrood.

The change was widely seen as an attempt to prevent popular MP Joanna Cherry from challenging party heavyweight Angus Robertson for the key SNP target seat of Edinburgh Central.

Ms Cherry wrote on suspected of having the same. ‘

It also emerged yesterday that Tory MP Graham Simpson planned to table an amendment to the Scottish Elections Bill requiring MPs elected to Holyrood to resign within eight days.

It did not happen because the SNP’s parliamentary business minister Jamie Hepburn proposed consultation on a ban – but said in a letter to a Holyrood committee that delays meant it would not be in place by 2026.

Mr Swinney said yesterday that the party’s rules on dual mandates “may be reviewed in due course”.