Scottish National Party to meet over election candidates

The Scottish National Party's (SNP) national executive will meet on Saturday to decide the selection procedures for the snap general election, the media reported.

The party's 54 incumbent MPs are expected to be endorsed as candidates, the BBC reported.

The Scottish party's executive group is meeting to agree their selection procedure, with leader Kezia Dugdale saying they were ready and had already been preparing for an election.

The UK goes to the polls on June 8 after Prime Minister Theresa May announced plans for a snap election, subsequently endorsed by MPs by 552 votes to 13.

A decision will also be made about the fate of Natalie McGarry and Michelle Thomson, who were elected as SNP MPs but now sit as independent members.

McGarry and Thomson were the only two Scottish MPs to vote against the election, with SNP members abstaining, reports the BBC.

If they do not return, the SNP will need to find five candidates, including three for the seats the party did not win in 2015.

A number of party activists have already announced their intention to bid for the SNP ticket in the Glasgow East and Edinburgh West seats formerly occupied by the two women.

--IANS

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