A Dundee-born Tory MSP is “considering” running for a Westminster seat at the next UK election despite being voted into Holyrood just two years ago.
Stephen Kerr admitted he was thinking about putting his name in contention to be the Conservative candidate in the new North Tayside seat.
He was accused of trying to “bail out” of the Scottish Parliament due to “disarray” within his party by Labour.
Mr Kerr served as the party’s MP in Stirling for two years after winning the seat from the SNP in 2017, but then lost it back to the nationalists two years later.
In 2021, he was elected as a regional MSP for the Tories in Central Scotland, but he grew up and went to school in Forfar.
‘Considering it’
Mr Kerr told the Daily Record he had “loved” his stint at Westminster as he admitted he would be keen to go back.
Asked whether he is interested, the Tory MSP said: “Considering it, yes. Because I come from there.
“I loved being an MP. I had the enormous privilege of being Stirling’s MP for two and a half years.
“Scotland needs strong voices at Westminster, just as it needs strong voices here.”
Mr Kerr also confirmed he would immediately quit Holyrood if he was successful in being elected in Tayside.
His party leader Douglas Ross currently serves as both an MSP and MP, but intends to leave Westminster at the next election.
Labour’s Jackie Baillie said: “Ditching Scotland’s parliament to return to the leather seats of the Palace of Westminster says it all about the Tory mentality.”
Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart said: “Stephen Kerr is showing just how little respect he and the rest of the Tories have for Scotland’s parliament that he wants to scuttle off back to Westminster at the first opportunity.”
Last year polls showed the Scottish Tories faced wipeout at Westminster in the wake of scandals surrounding Boris Johnson and Liz Truss’ disastrous tenure.
But more recent surveys have indicated the Conservatives may hold onto key seats north of the border due to the SNP’s own decline in popularity.
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