Former Scotland Office minister not selected to stand in General Election

Former Scotland Office minister David Duguid has announced he has not been selected to stand for the Scottish Conservatives in the General Election.

Mr Duguid has suffered ill health recently and has spent several weeks in hospital but had said he was looking forward to being involved in the election campaign.

However, in a post on social media on Wednesday evening he said he had been informed by the Scottish Tories that they have decided not to put him forward as their chosen candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.

Mr Duguid spent four weeks in the intensive care unit in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary being treated for an illness affecting his spine and was then moved to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow nearly a month ago to continue treatment.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he wrote: “Last week I informed you of my rehabilitation progress and how I was looking forward to campaigning (albeit without knocking on doors) for the upcoming election.

“I am pleased to say that my recovery programme is well on schedule thanks to the excellent NHS staff in Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Spinal Injury Unit.

“Notwithstanding this, and despite my having been adopted by our local members, the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party has informed me tonight that they have decided not to put me forward as their chosen candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.”

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross praised Mr Duguid and wished him well for the future.

In a post on X he wrote: “David Duguid has been a great MP, Government minister and a true champion for his area.

“As the neighbouring MP I worked closely with him and he was an excellent member of the Scottish Affairs Committee.

“I wish him and his family all the very best for his continued recovery.”

David Duguid was elected in 2017 as MP for Banff and Buchan which was later expanded as part of boundary changes and renamed Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.

He served twice as a junior minister in the Scotland Office, from June 2020 to September 2021 and from September to October 2022.

A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: “David Duguid is unfortunately unable to stand in this election.

“David has been an excellent MP and great local representative for the last seven years.

“We thank David for all his hard work for the party, we look forward to his recovery to full health, and hope that he will want to rejoin frontline politics in the future.”