Aberdeen’s under-fire SNP co-leader is planning an escape to Holyrood next year after a chaotic stint helming the local authority.
Amid increasing concerns about the city’s unpopular bus gate system, defiant Christian Allard invited residents to judge him and his party’s success at the next local elections in 2027.
But it has now emerged that Mr Allard may have departed the chambers by that point.
The Press and Journal understands the Aberdeen City Council co-leader is throwing his name into the hat to run as an MSP in the 2026 Scottish parliament elections.
The SNP councillor previously served in Holyrood for three years, but is now eyeing up a comeback to national politics.
And he would not rule out a return when quizzed.
He said “discussions are happening” within the party ahead of the 2026 elections.
Opponents have questioned if this means his focus “won’t be on Aberdeen” in this time.
Allard ‘put himself forward’ to be assessed for MSP role
The Torry councillor has previously served as an MSP in 2013, and an MEP in 2019.
He took over from Alex Nicoll as co-leader of the council in 2023.
Just days after Mr Allard said the bus gates would be judged at the ballot box, sources close to the SNP revealed he had already put himself forward to leave by then.
It is unclear which constituency he would stand in, with Stephen Flynn’s potential plans to run for Holyrood still up in the air.
Mr Flynn, who is currently the MP for Aberdeen South, has previously expressed his desire to stand as an MSP, but put off the decision until “after Christmas”.
Mr Allard was a list MSP for North East Scotland during his time in parliament, and stood against current Aberdeen South and North Kincardine MSP Audrey Nicoll to have his name on the ballot in 2021.
‘Discussions are always happening’ over MSP candidates
Speaking to The Press and Journal, Mr Allard did not rule out a move from the Town House to Holyrood in 2026.
He said: “I’ve been an MSP already. I’ve been an MEP also, and in the two cases, it is always SNP members who decided if I should put my name forward.
“The discussions are always happening and it’s normal that you would always have people that would want you to be there.
“It is always important that people put themselves on the list.”
Mr Allard was quick to dismiss any notion that his full focus wasn’t on his current role, saying “my eyes are fully on Aberdeen City Council”.
He added: “We’ve got a fantastic team which is working very hard, and we have a vision of what the city is going to look like in two years.”
Opposition lays into Allard over MSP move
The timing of the revelation, following comments he made to The Press and Journal on Wednesday, has raised the ire of political rivals.
Opposition councillors were quick to point out that the next council elections come a year after voters will go to the polls to decide their MSPs.
SNP rebel Alex Nicoll, who resigned from the party over the city’s bus gates fiasco, questioned Mr Allard’s commitment to the council.
He said: “The very fact that he is wanting to have his suitability assessed as a candidate for the Scottish Parliament would tend to suggest that his loyalties may not by lying with Aberdeen City Council.”
Leader of the Labour opposition group, M Tauqeer Malik, said that Mr Allard’s decision to stand as an MSP “should come as no surprise to anyone”.
The Lower Deeside councillor said: “Councillor Allard wants to be judged on his record in 2027, but of course wants to leave council in 2026 to become an MSP.
“After all, his legacy as leader is one disaster after another”
What do you think of Mr Allard’s plans to run as an MSP? Let us know in our comments section below
MSP move comes after bus gates legal debacle
This comes as Mr Allard quashed calls for fresh talks on the bus gate system during a crunch meeting on Thursday.
An emergency meeting was held to decide whether to backtrack on the controversial traffic measures following fears the council had acted unlawfully when installing the bus gates.
However, the council’s top legal minds told the chamber they had “no concern” over a potential legal challenge from traders.
Traders have since launched a crowd-funder to take the local authority to court over the bus gates.
Read more:
- Council ‘not concerned’ about legal threat over Aberdeen bus gates – as ‘totally disrespectful’ leaders ‘stick two fingers up to the public’
- Aberdeen’s SNP council leader vows to KEEP bus gates and tells critics ‘we will be judged at the elections’
- Exclusive: Lawyer hired by Aberdeen traders warns council to back down over bus gates ‘or we’ll see you in court’
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