MP Joanna Cherry to challenge Angus Robertson for SNP Holyrood nomination

Two SNP big guns are to go head-to-head in Ruth Davidson's Holyrood seat as Joanna Cherry QC announced she will take on Angus Robertson for the party's nomination.

The Edinburgh South West MP confirmed on Saturday she will contest for her party's support for the Scottish Parliament's Edinburgh Central constituency.

It comes four days after the SNP's former Westminster leader announced he wanted to bid for the seat.

Ms Cherry tweeted: “After consulting with @EdinCentralSNP & #EdinburghSouthWest activists I've decided to accede to their request to seek @theSNP candidacy for the #EdinburghCentral constituency in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. I'll do so when nominations open in April.”

Mr Robertson revealed on Tuesday 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.

The seat 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.

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.

Ms Cherry recently gained recognition for leading the Scottish court case challenging the five-week prorogation of Parliament.

It was ultimately successful in the Supreme Court, resulting in the quashing of the suspension, which had been imposed in September.

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