SNP yet to make decision on two-job MPs - Swinney

First Minister John Swinney has said the SNP is yet to make a decision on whether its politicians can hold seats at both the Scottish and UK parliaments.

It comes after the party's Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, announced his ambition to stand in the 2026 Holyrood election.

Another sitting MP, Stephen Gethins, has submitted an application to be selected as a candidate - though he has not stated an intention to hold two seats at once.

Swinney also said former health secretary Michael Matheson should be allowed to “get on with the rest of his life” after it was reported he had put his name forward.

Swinney described Matheson - who resigned from the cabinet after he admitted misleading parliament about how an £11,000 data roaming bill was racked up on his work iPad - as a "faithful servant" to his constituents.

The Times and Herald reported the Falkirk West MSP had submitted an application to stand again in the constituency.

Swinney said Matheson had made a “mistake" and that he had accepted his punishment - a record ban from parliament.

He added: "I think it’s important that we accept those errors, accept the remedies that were put in place, and allow Michael to get on with the rest of his life”.

Matheson has been asked to comment.