Candidates for by-elections to replace former MPs announced

Nominations have closed for two north-east by-elections which will take place next month.

The 18 June polls in Aberdeen South and Arbroath and Broughty Ferry have been triggered after the two MPs in the seats were successful in the Holyrood election.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP's former Westminster leader, won Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine, vacating the Aberdeen South Westminster seat.

Meanwhile, Stephen Gethins moves on from the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry seat and now represents Dundee City East in the Scottish Parliament.

Both men have now been rewarded with government positions by First Minister John Swinney.

Flynn has been appointed as economy, tourism and transport secretary while Gethins is a minister with the Europe, external affairs and energy brief, reporting directly to the first minister.

Aberdeen South is the more notable contest due to Flynn's prominence.

He is the man who was a commanding presence during weekly Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.

Flynn's appearance at that weekly joust became less regular as the SNP suffered a major setback in the 2024 general election.

In the Aberdeen South vote, there were strong showings for both Labour and the Conservatives with pro-union support split.

Flynn had a comfortable majority of almost 4,000 but there was plenty of opposition.

Fast forward two years and I was back at the count for the Holyrood election.

This time, thanks to a strong challenge from the Conservatives, his majority was just over 1,200.

However, Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine has a different boundary to its Westminster cousin.

It stretches right down the coast almost to Stonehaven and takes in a more rural chunk to the south-west of the city,

This possibly includes more Tory/Liberal Democrat voters compared to the more "urban" seat of Aberdeen South.

That different boundary may be of benefit to the SNP.

The party's candidate is Richard Thomson, who was previously the MP for Gordon.

The Conservatives are putting significant effort into this seat.

Their candidate is Douglas Lumsden, who was actually elected to Holyrood as a Conservative list MSP.

The UK leader Kemi Badenoch has urged people to turn the vote "into a referendum on the future of the North Sea oil and gas industry."

It is probably the most significant issue for people here as they worry about jobs.

Control of licensing for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea lies with the UK government - but there has been concern locally the Scottish government has not been supportive enough.

Flynn said in his victory speech that he would "champion the industry".

Meanwhile, Jo Hart, a former midwife, is Reform UK's candidate and has put her campaigning focus on oil and gas as well.

There was Conservative fury at the Scottish Parliament election, as they accused Reform UK of "splitting the vote".

In this seat, once represented at Westminster by the former first minister Donald Dewar, Labour support's been squashed.

Nurul Hoque Ali is representing the party.

Labour members might wonder if there will be a revival - with the Makerfield by-election on the same day. That contest is make or break for Andy Burnham.

Likewise, the Liberal Democrats aren't in the running for a seat once held by the former deputy first minister, Nicol Stephen.

You could sail down the east coast to the next seat - with Arbroath and Broughty Ferry's northerly point at the beautiful Lunan Bay.

The golden sands hint at SNP yellow for this area with it stretching down to Dundee's suburban Broughty Ferry.

The seat was newly formed in the general election of 2024 and Stephen Gethins pipped Labour to win with a majority of 859.

Heather Doran is standing for Labour this time round.

However, in the Dundee City East Holyrood seat Gethins had a majority of more than 8,000.

That seat takes in Broughty Ferry but only stretches up to Monifieth.

The Conservatives did have success in Angus in 2017 - holding it for two years at Westminster.

Their candidate is Jack Cruickshanks and Reform UK are in the mix too with Bill Reid.

Gethins' appointment as energy minister is a nod to the industry also being important to this area.

Lara Bird, who works for the SNP at Westminster and is a lawyer, is the party's candidate.

Her publicity pictures feature Arbroath Abbey in the background - where nationalist supporting students famously deposited the Stone of Destiny in 1951.

Given how things stand, the SNP will be confident of retaining both Arbroath and Broughty Ferry and Aberdeen South.

Here is a list of the candidates in both constituencies:

Aberdeen South

• Nurul Hoque Ali, Scottish Labour Party
• David Ballantine, Alliance for Democracy and Freedom ADF
• Jorg Shelton Eckstein, Scottish Greens
• Jo Hart, Reform UK
• Douglas Lumsden, Scottish Conservative and Unionist
• Mel Sullivan, Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Richard Gordon Thomson, Scottish National Party (SNP)

Arbroath and Broughty Ferry

• Tanvir Ahmad, Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Lara Bird, Scottish National Party (SNP)
• Jack Cruickshanks, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
• Heather Doran, Scottish Labour Party
• Bill Reid, Reform UK