Angus Robertson grew up in Stockbridge and went to Broughton High

THE SNP’s former Westminster leader Angus Robertson is aiming to get into Holyrood by winning Edinburgh Central from the Tories at next year’s Scottish Parliament elections.

The former Moray MP - a key figure behind the SNP’s election victories in 2007 and 2011 - has confirmed he will bid to become the party’s candidate for Central when nominations open in a few weeks.

The seat is currently held - with a narrow 610 majority - by former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, who will stand down at the election next May.

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But there has also been speculation that she is in line for a peerage, which would put her under pressure to quite Holyrood earlier.

Mr Robertson - who has been mentioned as a potential successor to Nicola Sturgeon - grew up in Stockbridge, went to Broughton High School and is now back living in the Capital with his wife and baby.

Writing in today’s Evening News, he says: “After months of kind encouragement from Edinburgh Central SNP members, I have decided that I will seek the SNP nomination for the constituency.”

He is likely to face competition to become the candidate - and among those mentioned are Joanna Cherry, SNP MP for Edinburgh South West and the party’s home affairs and justice spokeswoman, who is also tipped as a possible leadership contender.

Another potential rival for the Central nomination is Alison Dickie, SNP councillor for Southside/Newington and vice-convener of education, who fought the seat at the last election in 2016 when Ms Davidson won her surprise victory.

Before becoming an MP, Mr Robertson worked as a foreign correspondent in Central Europe for the BBC World Service, and then for the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation and later as European and international affairs adviser to the SNP group at Holyrood.

He was elected MP for Moray at the 2001 general election. After losing the seat to the Tories in 2017, Mr Robertson resigned his role as SNP depute leader and set up polling and research organisation Progress Scotland.

In his News piece Mr Robertson says: “Edinburgh Central deserves a full-time MSP who will put the interests of their constituents first.

“At present the heart of Scotland’s capital city is represented by somebody who would prefer to be in the House of Lords and pursuing a career in public relations.

“Ruth Davidson, who admirably announced her decision to stand down as Scottish Tory leader to spend more time with her family, has since put other career interests in London ahead of the people she still represents at Holyrood. They deserve better. No-one can be in two places at the same time.”

And he added: “The SNP needs a full-time candidate to win this important seat. I believe I am best placed to be that candidate.”