I don’t normally comment publicly on internal party stuff. If a sitting MP decides to stand as an MSP I do understand that there are significant funding issues because that individual is causing a by-election.

There are also local organisational issues with running one campaign immediately after another. My big concern about asking an MP to stand down much in advance of a Holyrood election is that this will have knock on implications for their staff.

Asking SNP MPs to do this effectively means that only MPs who are happy to see their staff jobless will be able to stand for Holyrood. This is because their MP staff would no longer have a job either for the interim period or if the MP doesn’t get elected as an MSP.

I hope the NEC consider this when taking any decision about MPs standing for Holyrood selection. /end

(I won’t be making further comment)