John Swinney will once again stand for the SNP in the Perthshire North constituency at next year’s Scottish election.
Mr Swinney was the sole nominee and was unanimously endorsed by the members of the constituency association.
If he was to be re-elected next May, Mr Swinney would make it six wins out of six in the Tayside North and Perthshire North constituencies.
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The father-of-three also served as the MP for Tayside North from 1997 until 2001.
A former leader of the SNP, Mr Swinney currently serves as deputy first minister and cabinet secretary for education and skills in the Scottish Government.
He lives in the constituency in Woodside and is married to the BBC journalist Elizabeth Quigley.
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Mr Swinney said he was “thrilled and delighted” to have been nominated.
He said the next election was “crucial” and claimed “progress made under devolution is threatened by the calculated and malicious attacks on Scottish self-government by Boris Johnson’s UK Tory Government”.
Mr Swinney added: “Over the last 13 years, at the heart of the SNP government as finance secretary, education secretary and deputy first minister, I have given everything I have to make Scotland a more successful and confident country.
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“We have made such progress in improving the lives of our people, strengthening the connectivity of our country and creating a positive view of Scotland in the world.
“In recent months, we have given the leadership and support necessary to face up to the challenges of COVID and to ensure practical assistance is available for people and businesses to get through these difficult days.
“The powers of the Scottish Parliament are under threat, we are being torn out of the EU against our will and the civilised values we hold dear are being undermined.
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“I believe the only way to effectively stand up to that threat is that people should have the choice about whether Scotland should become an independent country.
“I will be keen to set out to people in Scotland the opportunity to create a fair, prosperous and progressive society by exercising the powers of an independent country.”
Perthshire North SNP convener John Kellas gave Mr Swinney his backing and said: “John has built up a much-deserved reputation as an active, assiduous constituency MSP who is always available to help local people and who works tirelessly to address local issues.
“He does so while carrying out significant responsibilities in the Scottish Government.
“We look forward with enthusiasm to working for his re-election next May.”
