John Swinney has described Stephen Flynn as a “star” and an “immense talent” as he faced questions over the SNP's Westminster leader bid to stand in the Commons and Holyrood. 

The First Minister was being pushed on the matter after Scottish Government minister Ivan McKee told the BBC that “double-jobbing – working as an MP and an MSP – isn’t sustainable.”

On Wednesday, The Times reported that some members of the SNP’s ruling NEC would try to block Mr Flynn's Holyrood bid by bringing back a controversial rule brought in ahead of the 2021 election.

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In 2020, the party adopted a new policy to make it harder for politicians to hold so-called dual mandates.

It meant that an MP picked to stand for Holyrood would need to quit their Westminster seat, triggering a by-election and making their staff redundant.

At the time, it was widely seen as a ploy to stop Joanna Cherry heading to the Scottish Parliament.

However, it was only in place for that election, and it would have to be reintroduced by the NEC for the May 2026 vote.

Mr Flynn’s announcement that he was hoping to oust Audrey Nicoll to be selected as the candidate in Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, has provoked anger among some party members. 

One source said: “There is definitely a clear majority on the NEC against a dual mandate to be in both parliaments.”

Mr Flynn is often talked about as a potential frontrunner to replace Mr Swinney as SNP leader.

In an interview with the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, Mr McKee — an ally of Kate Forbes, who is also seen as a possible future leadership candidate — said: “I’ve got a full-time job as an MSP and a minister, I gave up work that I had, a consultancy and a directorship that I had that was paid work.

“I didn’t need to give it up when I came into Parliament, (but) I recognised that this was a full-time job that needs a full-time commitment.”

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Speaking to journalists after First Minister’s Questions, Mr Swinney, who was both an MP and MSP in the early years of devolution, said it had been “very, very demanding” to be in both parliaments.

Asked if he would like to see Stephen Flynn in Holyrood, Mr Swinney said: “Well, I think Stephen’s got a huge contribution to make. I think he's one of our great stars, so I think Stephen's got a huge contribution to make to the political activity and agenda of the SNP.

“He is a superb contributor and I welcome his contributions.”

Asked if he would still be the SNP leader after the 2026 election or is Mr Flynn was coming ti take his job, Mr Swinney said: “I will be, yes.”

Asked about the anger in his party Mr Swinney said he had been “really pretty successful” in bringing his party together.

“Now there's going to be issues that cause disturbance and difficulty in the process. I'm not going to be immune from those challenges, but I think I've pretty substantially succeeded in bringing my party together into a much better state of affairs than it was that I inherited in May.”

Speaking on the Holyrood Sources podcast, Geoff Aberdein, a former SNP strategist who served as Alex Salmond's chief of staff, said he thought Mr Flynn would likely back out of his bid to be both an MP and MSP. 

"I think he's going to have to say that he doesn't want to stake his reputation, but most importantly, have the party in fighting any longer.

"So I expect that that will be something he'll be saying pretty soon."

Mr Aberdein said he hoped Mr Flynn would go to Holyrood.

"Unlike a lot of the commentators, and indeed, his party colleagues, I actually know Stephen quite well. And yes, he's ambitious. I have no issue with that.

"I think you have to be ambitious in politics if you want to be a leader. And I think he does want to become a leader, but he also does put the party first in a lot of his decision making.

"And one of the reasons he wanted to come to Holyrood was to make a difference and and I think that should be encouraged."