Prediction - David Kerr won't stand in Glasgow NE

I'm not basing this on any gossip or rumours I may have heard but I just don't see David Kerr standing for the SNP in Glasgow North East.

David put his hat in the ring once, he was beaten fairly and squarely by James Dornan and I can easily imagine that at that point David decided it wasn't for him, irrespective of what has happened since.

Even the news that the ex-Newsnight man is on holiday suggests to me that he isn't going to return to get pumped up for Glasgow North East. I suspect he'll be returning to get ready for a new job as a Special Adviser for the Nationalists, a deal which I am guessing has already been agreed in principle, despite suggestions otherwise.

I may be wrong, I can visualise other scenarios whereby David Kerr is talked into standing. A by-election in August would mean only a month of campaigning and then, if the SNP were to lose, David could take up any party adviser positions thereafter.

I could also imagine the Newsnight man having confidence in his convictions. If he believed he could make the difference when he put his hat in the ring to be selected then perhaps he will back himself to make a difference for the people of Springburn even with the setback of losing out in the selection contest.

A lot of this comes down to personality so unless one knows Mr Kerr (which I 100% do not, shamefully I can't even picture the tv man), then we can't really guess what comes next.

Crucially though, if David Kerr was going to stand, surely it would have been announced already either from SNP HQ or via a hastily arranged selection contest. After all, I'm sure the last thing HQ wants is the media having free digs at the party over supposed 'meltdowns' and '3rd, 4th, 5th choice candidates' etc.


So if David won't stand, then who will? Well, who knows. But I have a personal preference.

Anne McLaughlin, mastermind of the Glasgow East contest, would make a fabulous candidate. The entire party would flood out to campaign for her such is her high stock value.

A year in Westminster would up her profile for the next Holyrood elections where I am guessing she would prefer to belong and the distinct possibility of her winning the seat comes with the added bonus of James Dornan taking up her seat in the Scottish Parliament given that James is the next name on the SNP's party list. I mean this in the nicest possible way but goodness knows he needs the money...