SNP MP looking to win Shona Robison's Scottish Parliament seat after just 9 months in Westminster

An SNP MP who has only been in Westminster for nine months says he wants to replace Cabinet minister Shona Robison at Holyrood.

Stephen Gethins was elected as the MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry in July last year. But he now says he wants to stand to be the MSP for Dundee East after Ms Robison announced she was vacating the seat after 27 years in Parliament.

Mr Gethins said it was “no secret” that SNP MPs do not see a long-term future for themselves at Westminster.

SNP MP Stephen Gethins

He said: “Like others I was disappointed when Shona decided to stand down from the Scottish Parliament. She has been an outstanding local MSP and minister.

“Since that announcement I have been touched by the number of local members who have encouraged me to stand. I have let local office bearers know that I am putting my name forward for consideration as a candidate for Dundee East.

“This is not a decision I have taken lightly.

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“It is a privilege to be the MP for the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency and my priority will be to continue to do that job and represent everyone, to the best of my ability. It is obviously no secret that SNP MPs do not see Scottish representatives as having a long-term future at Westminster.”

Mr Gethins served as the MP for North East Fife from 2015 until 2019 and is a former Scottish Government special advisor. He is not the only SNP MP hoping to make the move to Holyrood - the party’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has his eyes on standing for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine.

Read more: The Scottish politicians standing down at the 2026 Holyrood election

This seat is being vacated by SNP MSP Audrey Nicoll, and Mr Flynn has been criticised for his ambition as it was viewed as taking a seat off of a female MSP.

A number of former SNP MPs have also cleared the SNP’s vetting process to stand in next year’s Scottish Parliament election. These include Hannah Bardell, Steven Bonnar, Deidre Brock, Alan Brown, Amy Callaghan, Allan Dorans, Patricia Gibson and David Linden.

Other former party MPs vetted to stand in the 2026 Holyrood election are Anne McLaughlin, Kirsten Oswald, Anum Qaisar, Tommy Shepperd, Alyn Smith, Alison Thewliss, Richard Thomson and Calum Kerr.

Mr Gethins’s decision to try and win a Holyrood seat has been criticised by Tess White, the Conservative MSP for the North East.

She said: “This SNP MP was given the privilege of representing the people of Arbroath and Broughty Ferry less than ten months ago. His breakneck pace in jumping ship suggests the SNP do not give two hoots about Angus.

“Many residents in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry will be wondering why they bothered voting for Mr Gethins in July. Next year they will have an opportunity to show the SNP they want MSPs who champion their constituency.”