THE SNP leadership was accused yesterday of promoting ''Mary Doll Syndrome'' by giving the impression that the choice of candidates for the Scottish Parliament was already settled, writes Murray Ritchie, Scottish Political Editor.

A protest by Mr Gerry Fisher, SNP convener in Dollar, suggests there is growing tension inside the party at the emergence of familiar figures as strong contenders for seats at the expense of long-serving campaigners.

Ms Winnie Ewing, party president and Euro-MP for Highlands and Islands, has announced her impending retirement from Strasbourg and her wish to be on the Holyrood list.

SNP chief executive Michael Russell is also considering a seat in the Scottish Parliament and is expected to apply for inclusion on the list.

''Mary Doll Syndrome'' is the name given to the leadership's perceived pursuit of celebrity or favoured candidates with no political experience. It is named after Rab C Nesbitt's wife, played by Elaine C Smith in the TV series.

Ms Smith is a Nationalist who, much to the surprise of many, spoke last week for the SNP in the television programme Question Time in the absence of party leader Alex Salmond.

She had been regarded as a probable SNP candidate for the Scottish Parliament elections - a move which angered grass-roots feeling in the party. But she disclosed on the programme that she was not a party member, thus ruling herself out as a candidate.

Any internal dissent may have been exacerbated by the emergence this week of former party leader Gordon Wilson and executive member Professor Neil MacCormick as aspiring Euro MPs. The SNP hopes to take three of the eight Scottish Euro-seats being contested under proportional representation next year, with winners determined by candidates' position on the party list.

Mr Fisher, who fought Stirling for the SNP against Mr Michael Forsyth in 1992, accused his leadership of ''trying to bounce'' the grass roots into accepting its own preferred candidates as a done deal.

Decisions on how the SNP will choose its candidates for the party list element of the elections - and for the Euro-elections - will be decided next month at a special conference.

''These decisions must be made by the conference and not by the leadership's say-so. It is true to say there is very considerable dissent on this question,'' Mr Fisher said.

SNP policy is similar to that of the Tories, who want all candidates on the list to have fought in the constituency element of the elections. The reasoning is that candidates who make it to Holyrood through the list system will at least have fought an election.

Mr Fisher said: ''Things are being said and done to imply that a decision has already been taken to overturn party policy. And that is not the case. There is grass-roots resistance to 'Mary Doll Syndrome'.

''The grass roots might be happy enough to see Winnie Ewing or Mike Russell on the list but the problem arises with others jumping on the bandwagon. Being a well-known name should not be enough to get yourself to the top of the list.

''I think I speak for at least a very significant minority of the party, and perhaps a majority. I am opposed to any party where the hierarchy or executive can effectively nominate Members of the Scottish Parliament.''

An SNP spokesman said: ''The party at large will decide the arrangements in an open and democratic manner for selecting candidates for both the Scottish and European Parliaments and it will be SNP members in the branches and constituencies who will decide who these candidates are to be.

''The SNP's candidate selection process is the most open and democratic of all the political parties in Scotland.''