The SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, has said he will not seek a dual mandate to stand as an MP in the Scottish Parliament while remaining an MP.

Flynn, who represents Aberdeen South in the House of Commons, said: “Raise your hand, I’m wrong. »

He previously said he would aim to hold on to his Westminster seat until the next general election, due in 2029, but would not accept two salaries.

The Aberdeen South and North Kincardine seat in Holyrood is currently held by the SNP’s Audrey Nicoll.

Flynn said he sought a dual mandate “for the right reasons,” but that didn’t change the fact that he was wrong.

He said: “My aim of saving the public finances from unnecessary pressure by potentially straddling the roles of MP and MP for a short period until the next general election was genuine in its intention.

“Alongside all SNP members, I now look forward to assessing the new candidate selection rules that my party will be putting in place. »

Flynn’s intention to run sparked anger within his party.

Ahead of the 2021 election, the SNP changed its internal rules to require MPs to resign their Westminster seats in order to fight for selection at Holyrood.

The party’s governing body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), may decide to repeal the election rule before 2026.

Prime Minister John Swinney said last week that the SNP had not yet decided whether its politicians could hold a dual mandate – where only one person sits in both Westminster and Holyrood.

Swinney, who held seats in Westminster and Holyrood between 1999 and 2001, told BBC Scotland News: “We have had times in the past where we have had a dual mandate – I have had a double mandate myself mandate for two years at the beginning.

“The party must draw its conclusions on these particular issues and it will do so in due course.”