A Tory MSP has launched a bid to switch to Westminster just four days after he was re-elected to the Scottish Parliament. Douglas Lumsden confirmed on Tuesday that he is putting himself forward to be his party’s candidate in an upcoming by-election in Aberdeen South.
Timing of the Announcement
His announcement comes before the first sitting of the Scottish Parliament since the election on Thursday. Details of the by-election will be confirmed once the SNP’s Stephen Flynn formally resigns as an MP in the coming days following his own election to the Scottish Parliament.
Tory Strategy for the Seat
The Tories plan to heavily target the seat after narrowly falling short of defeating Mr Flynn in the Holyrood constituency of Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine. The party is currently inviting applications from potential candidates and is expected to confirm its candidate in the next week, with the by-election expected to happen later this year.
Mr Lumsden, who was one of the highest-profile Tory MSPs in the last parliament as the party’s net zero, energy and transport spokesman, told the Mail he would put himself forward as a potential candidate. He accepted he will face questions from the SNP over putting himself forward so soon after the election, but said: ‘I think it would be rich of the SNP to have any criticisms, because that is exactly what Stephen Flynn has done – he has flipped from one parliament to the next.’
Focus on Oil and Gas Industry
‘For me, what is going on in the north east and Aberdeen is just so, so critical in terms of the oil and gas industry and what is happening there. There is a jobs emergency in Aberdeen and that is why I feel I am the best person to go down and make the case for changes to the system in terms of licensing and really supporting that industry. Because if we don’t Aberdeen is going to be a ghost town,’ he said.
‘It is an emergency, we really need to be doing everything we can to protect all the jobs and the communities in the north east, and that’s why I’m doing it. It is such a worrying time in Aberdeen. The SNP have their presumption against oil and gas, they don’t give two hoots about it, Labour we know where they are on licences.’
He added: ‘We’re the only party that can defeat the SNP in Aberdeen South, we’ve seen that from the election results last week, and that’s why I will throw the kitchen sink at winning that seat off the SNP.’
Electoral Background
Mr Lumsden was elected last week through the Scottish Conservative regional list for North East Scotland. He finished just 943 votes behind the SNP’s Gillian Martin in the Aberdeenshire East constituency. Mr Flynn also only narrowly defeated Tory candidate Liam Kerr in the Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine constituency last week, with a majority of 1,244. Mr Kerr blamed the result on Reform UK attracting 6,113 votes – and said it showed the party is a ‘gift’ to the SNP.
Following last week’s election, the Tories have only 12 MSPs in the Scottish Parliament but believe the Aberdeen South by-election will be a key target as it begins to fight back from its worst ever Holyrood result. The by-election is expected to be heavily supported by the UK Conservative party as the party seeks to strengthen its group of MPs.
SNP Leadership Transition
Mr Flynn had initially intended to remain an MP if elected to Holyrood but was thwarted following a backlash from within the SNP. The SNP said Mr Flynn will formally stand down as an MP ‘in the days ahead’ and confirmed that Angus and Perthshire Glens MP Dave Doogan had been elected unanimously as the new leader of the SNP Westminster group.
Mr Doogan said: ‘Following a swift timetable for an orderly leadership transition, I’m delighted to have been elected as the new SNP Westminster Leader at a crucial time for Scotland’s future and our journey to independence. While Westminster is, yet again, consumed by chaos and bitter infighting, I will be laser-focused on the issues that really matter to people in Scotland. That means demanding urgent action on the cost of living - and securing a fresh start from the constant crisis of Westminster control as an independent country.’
