Stephen Flynn's Westminster allies hoping to follow his lead to Holyrood
Stephen Flynn MP, leader of the SNP at Westminster, is hoping to take a seat at Holyrood at the May election. So are many of his closest political allies, writes Andrew Quinn.
Ruairidh MacKenzie, a close ally of Stephen Flynn, was named the SNP’s head of communications and research last week.
The 32-year-old Aberdeen native - and big Dons fan - last served as senior adviser to Stephen Flynn, SNP Westminster leader, and his group, but has swapped London for Edinburgh as the Scottish Parliament election looms.
Mr Flynn, MP for Aberdeen South, hopes to do the same, having been selected as the SNP’s candidate for Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine ahead of the May vote.
But Mr MacKenzie may not the only ally of Mr Flynn who is eyeing a move from Westminster to Holyrood.
David Linden
Former Glasgow East MP David Linden was one of Mr Flynn’s key lieutenants before the 2024 election.
The 35-year-old was one of the members of the so-called ‘Tuesday Club’ - a group of SNP MPs who met up regularly for five-a-side football, beer and curry nights - and among those accused of ousting Ian Blackford and replacing him with Mr Flynn as Commons leader.
Mr Linden was elected at the 2017 general election with a majority of just 75 votes, after previous SNP MP Natalie McGarry withdrew the whip due to being charged with embezzlement - which she was later convicted for.
Mr Linden first became better known a year after his election due to a viral clip where New Zealand-raised Tory MP Sir Paul Beresford was unable to understand his Glaswegian accent.
In 2022, he and fellow SNP MP Chris Stephens were disciplined for voting against the party whip on the Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Bill and Mr Linden resigned as the party’s work and pensions spokesperson a month later.
He returned as spokesperson for social justice when Mr Flynn became leader in 2022 and served in that position until his lost his seat to Labour’s John Grady in 2024.
Mr Linden was chosen as the SNP’s candidate for Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston in the Scottish Parliament election after beating two local councillors and his party’s national secretary in the selection contest.
He will go up against Labour Glasgow list MSP Pauline McNeill and probably Reform UK councillor Thomas Kerr - although Nigel Farage’s party is still to announce its candidates.
Steven Bonnar
Steven Bonnar was elected at the same time as Stephen Flynn, and was one of his right-hand men.
Mr Bonnar won back the Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill seat for the SNP in 2019. The party had lost it to Labour two years previously.
The former North Lanarkshire councillor famously crossed his fingers when being sworn into the House of Commons as a protest against affirming allegiance to the monarchy.
His time as an MP was not without controversy as he and a neighbour were charged over an alleged disturbance involving a Celtic flag in 2020, with the Crown Office later dropping the charges. He was also accused of breaking Covid rules by travelling to Ireland during the pandemic, although he denied any wrongdoing given weddings had been classed ‘as essential travel’ at the time.
Mr Bonnar served as the SNP’s environment spokesperson before losing his seat to Labour’s Frank McNally in 2024.
In May, he is standing to become the next MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill.
Alan Brown
Also part of the ‘Tuesday Club’, Alan Brown was first elected as MP for Kilmarnock and Loudon in 2015 as the SNP swept up 56 of the 59 Scottish seats. He had previously served as an East Ayrshire councillor.
Like Mr Linden, Mr Brown faced issues because of his thick accent.
Mr Brown said he had been asked by House of Commons officials to provide written translations of his questions for official records.
He said he rarely received direct answers to his questions because ministers could not understand his Ayrshire pronunciation.
The 55-year-old served on the frontbench as energy spokesperson.
He is standing in the Kilmarnock and Loudon Holyrood constituency in May, having lost his Westminster seat in 2024.
Jack Middleton
Jack Middleton only had a very short-lived stint as an SNP press officer in Westminster in 2023 and has spent much more of his career at Holyrood.
So he is not someone who has particularly been part of Mr Flynn’s leadership in London. But the Dons fan is definitely one to look out for after May’s election.
The 30-year-old left the Commons to take part in Humza Yousaf’s bid to become SNP leader and then went on to serve as a Scottish Government special adviser under Mr Yousaf and John Swinney.
A University of Stirling graduate and former Holyrood parliamentary researcher, Mr Middleton is running in the Aberdeen Central seat, which neighbours Mr Flynn’s.
Others going from Westminster to Holyrood
Mr Flynn is not the only current SNP MP who hopes to ditch the House of Commons for the Scottish Parliament.
Arbroath and Broughty Ferry MP Stephen Gethins is the SNP’s candidate for Dundee City East. He was only re-elected as an MP in 2024, having previously been MP for North East Fife between 2015 and 2019.
Mr Gethins is a former adviser to both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.
Alison Thewliss, who was Mr Flynn’s rival for the 2022 SNP Westminster leadership contest, is also standing for Holyrood.
After he seat was wiped out by the boundary review, she stood in Glasgow North and lost to Labour’s Martin Rhodes in 2024. She is the SNP’s candidate for Glasgow Central in May.
Former Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP Martyn Day is the candidate for the Holyrood seat of Falkirk East and Linlithgow. Patricia Gibson - who lost her North Ayrshire and Arran seat - is standing in Cunningham South.
Ex-East Renfrewshire MP Kirsten Oswald is standing for Eastwood, while Alyn Smith is standing in Stirling - where he was previously MP.
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