FORMER SNP MP Alyn Smith has announced his plans to stand in next year's Holyrood elections.
Smith is looking to replace outgoing SNP MSP Evelyn Tweed in the Stirling constituency, The Courier reports.
Smith, who lost his seat in last year's General Election to Scottish Labour's Chris Kane in the newly-formed Stirling and Strathallan constituency, said the election would be "tough" as voters looked to politicians for leadership.
He said: "This election is going to be tough, we should not kid ourselves. The world is in flux.
"After a dreadful few years, the party has started to get our act together with the changes at HQ and with John Swinney's more focussed leadership.
"But we need to do more and I feel I can add to that locally and nationwide."
Smith said the SNP should put "independence in Europe" at the centre of its pitch to voters, pointing to his record as a former Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
The former MP said Stirling should become the "epicentre" of the SNP's fight in next year's election.
"With the spectacular successes in the Stirling East and Bannockburn by-elections we've proven we can win and can be the cockpit of the national campaign.
"I think we can win this constituency, but more than that I think we can persuade folks here that independence in Europe is the answer."
The announcement comes after a host of former SNP MPs were accepted as potential candidates for the 2026 election.
Other candidates to pass the vetting process include: Stephen Flynn, Hannah Bardell, Anne McLaughlin, Tommy Sheppard, Alan Brown, Amy Callaghan, Allan Dorans, Patricia Gibson, David Linden, Steven Bonnar, Deidre Brock, Kirsten Oswald, Anum Qaisar, Alison Thewliss and Richard Thomson.
