SNP yet to make decision on two job MPs - Swinney

First Minister John Swinney has said the SNP is yet to make a decision on whether its politicians can hold seats at both the Scottish and UK parliaments.

It comes after the party's Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, announced his ambition to stand in the 2026 Holyrood election.

Another sitting MP, Stephen Gethins, has submitted an application to be selected as a candidate - though he has not stated an intention to hold two seats at once.

Swinney also said former health secretary Michael Matheson should be allowed to “get on with the rest of his life” after it was reported he had put his name forward.

Flynn drew criticism from colleagues after announcing he hoped to win the SNP nomination for the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine seat, currently held by Audrey Nicoll.

The SNP, including Flynn, was highly critical of former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross for holding what is known as a dual mandate.

Swinney, who held seats at both Westminster and Holyrood between 1999 and 2001, told 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.”

Meanwhile, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said Flynn would be a "brilliant asset" to the Scottish Parliament.

Last year Forbes criticised Ross, who was an MP, MSP and professional football referee at the time, branding him “three jobs”.

Responding to Flynn’s announcement, she added: “The beauty of democracy is that it ultimately will be a decision for the local electorate as to who represents them, both within the party and within the public.

"Now, most recently, that was put to the test with Douglas Ross, he wasn't returned as the MP, and therefore it proves the point that democracy works."

Gethins, who represents Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, told the Courier newspaper he had submitted an application to keep his vetting papers "up to date" and noted there were no local vacancies for SNP candidates.

The MP told the Courier he would like to return at "some point" to Holyrood, where he formerly worked as a government adviser. However, he said his priority was representing his constituents at the UK parliament.

SNP MP Dave Doogan is also reported to have put his name forward for selection.

BBC Scotland News understands that SNP Westminster colleagues Brendan O’Hara, Kirsty Blackman, Chris Law and Graham Leadbitter have not.

Swinney described Matheson - who resigned from the cabinet after he admitted misleading parliament about how an £11,000 data roaming bill was racked up on his work iPad - as a "faithful servant" to his constituents.

The Times and Herald reported the Falkirk West MSP had submitted an application to stand again in the constituency.

Swinney said Matheson had made a “mistake" and that he had accepted his punishment - a record ban from parliament.

He added: "I think it’s important that we accept those errors, accept the remedies that were put in place, and allow Michael to get on with the rest of his life”.

Matheson has been asked to comment.

Former first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf are among the other SNP politicians understood to have submitted candidacy applications - though both are yet to decide on whether to stand for re-election.

Ahead of the 2021 election, the SNP changed internal rules to require MPs to resign their seat at Westminster to fight for selection to Holyrood.

Flynn told the Press and Journal he understood that rule to be "election specific".

He told BBC Scotland News he took "no pleasure" from potentially competing with Nicoll for selection but that it was for members to decide an outcome.

Nicoll said the selection process was still at an early stage and that Flynn was within his rights to stand for selection.

SNP MSP Emma Roddick called for the party's Westminster leader to rethink his ambition to hold two seats seats.

The Highlands and Islands representative said she could not imagine "being a good MSP" while spending "half" her time in London.

One former SNP MP told BBC Scotland News: "I'm not sure being seen to do Audrey Nicoll out of her job so that he can have two jobs is a smart pitch."

Another senior party figure described Flynn's move as "naked ambition".