A FORMER SNP MP has been reprimanded for falsely suggesting he had been endorsed to run for Holyrood by John Swinney.
David Linden, who served as MP for Glasgow East between 2017 and May 2024, is currently vying to be the party’s 2026 candidate for the Baillieston and Shettleston constituency.
The Times reports that Angela Constance wrote to party members in Glasgow to slap down suggestions allegedly made by Linden that he had the endorsement of the SNP leader – and suggested the result of the selection contest was a foregone conclusion.
Constance, the Justice Secretary, is the SNP’s business convener overseeing the selection process.
Linden, 34, reportedly emailed members of the Glasgow Shettleston constituency association to state he had spent a day with Swinney where “we discussed our plan to win Baillieston and Shettleston at next year’s election".
A photograph of Linden and the First Minister at a Scottish Government event on Monday accompanied the email.
Constance told party members: “I’m aware that members in Baillieston and Shettleston received an email yesterday from one of the nominees in the current selection contest to decide our Holyrood candidate for 2026, which inferred that the nominee was being endorsed by the party leader — or at the very least inferred that the party leader had already accepted what the outcome of the ballot would be.
“I can say categorically that this is not the case.
“The party leader has not endorsed any nominee in this and any other contest. The decision on who the SNP candidate should be rests entirely with local members.”
She added: “John Swinney was in attendance as First Minister, and not in his role as party leader. I hope that clarifies the position.”
A party insider told The Times: “He photobombed party members with erroneous claims about the party leader and has rightly had his knuckles rapped.
“He’s had his time at Westminster, it’s now time for fresh blood in this seat, and in the Holyrood parliamentary group.”
MSP John Mason, who was kicked out of the SNP over remarks he made on Gaza and now sits as an independent, is the current representative for the constituency. He previously said he is “almost certain” he will step down at the next Holyrood election.
Linden is bidding to be the Holyrood candidate against Laura Doherty, a Shettleston councillor, Greig Hepburn, a Calton councillor, and Alex Kerr, a Baillieston councillor.
Kerr is currently the SNP national secretary.
The SNP told The Times they did not comment on internal matters.
