LOCAL MSP Kenneth Gibson faces a three way battle to retain his Cunninghame North party nomination for the looming Scottish Parliamentary elections.

Corri Wilson and Osama Bhutta have thrown their hats into the ring to stand for the SNP next May.

The seat has been held by Mr Gibson since 2007 after he narrowly beat Labour MSP Allan Wilson, who had held the position since 1999.

Party members will decide in a ballot at the beginning of November who will contest the race for the Scottish Nationalists.

The candidacy contest was supported by Helen Stewart, former political education officer at the SNP Cumbrae branch

She said: “We have a wealth of talent in this party and we should put up the best people we can find. Holyrood is not the Lords, and MSPs shouldn’t expect a job for life. There should be contests in all constituencies.”

Ms Wilson said: “Cunninghame North is a beautiful part of the world but of course has its challenges..

“Whilst its not easy unseating a sitting MSP, it is right members have a choice. I’m sure if Kenneth has been doing a good job then he will have nothing to fear and will welcome the contest. If not, having worked with many activists from North Ayrshire over the last few years, it’s clear to me there is an excellent, experienced group of committed people who want to be part of our journey going forward and I welcome that. I’m ready to take up the mantle and be a strong voice for Cunninghame North working with and for members and constituents alike.”

Osama Bhutta, a senior leader at human rights giant Amnesty International, has left his job in order to be able to run.

For the last four years he has been Amnesty’s global communications director, overseeing their output and working with activists around the world to advance their causes. Before that, he worked in the Middle East during the Arab Spring for broadcaster Al Jazeera and was the SNP’s Glasgow Central candidate in 2010.

He said: “The main thing I was looking for was constituencies who wanted to do things in a modern, collaborative, people-powered way. That’s how the conversation with SNP members in North Ayrshire started.

“They seem like an amazing group of people and I would love to work with them on everything we need to achieve together for our people in the next few years.”

SNP office-bearers in the Cunninghame North constituency in Ayrshire have called for 'a festival of democracy' and that every one of the party’s sitting MSPs should face a selection contest ahead of the 2021 election – evening including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Kenneth Gibson has represented Cunninghame North since 2007, and at the last election in 2017 he gained 51.9 per cent of the vote, with the second-placed Conservatives receiving 24.6 per cent.

He said: "The matter has never even been raised, let alone discussed at any Cunninghame North Constituency Association meeting.

“This proposal - which SNP members read with incredulity - would mean a challenge even to the First Minister.

"I’m getting on with my work in Holyrood, while assisting individual constituents with the issues and concerns they bring to my attention.”