Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine set to quit Westminster after being told she is 'too old' for re-election
The Edinburgh West MP also told The Scotsman that party officials have raised concerns over her age
Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine will walk away from Westminster after an ally of the party leader reportedly starting eyeing her seat while officials raised concerns about her age.
Ms Jardine, who has been the MP for Edinburgh West since 2017, will not seek re-election and a key ally of Scottish Lib Dems leader, Alex Cole- Hamilton, is said to have been interested in taking her seat “for a while”.
Mr Jardine, 65, said her age was seen as a consideration as to whether she should stand again.
Multiple Scottish Lib Dem sources have told The Scotsman Edinburgh councillor, Kevin Lang, who is a close ally of Mr Cole-Hamilton, has been interested in the seat - a party stronghold. Ms Jardine increased her majority to 16,470 at the 2024 general election.
READ MORE: Christine Jardine MP to stand down at next election amid 'tension and division' in local party
Ms Jardine has decided to walk away, with several figures close to the MP warning that "manoeuvres" by Mr Lang and those close to Mr Cole-Hamilton have been going on for some time.
Ms Jardine told The Scotsman: “I decided that I’ve had enough. It’s not how I wanted it to end and I didn’t want to step down but I’d had enough of what I felt was going on in the party.
“I like to think that I’ve never made politics personal, that I’ve always focused on the issues and I have no desire now to start pointing the finger at people. I don’t play dirty politics.”
Ms Jardine said that UK Lib Dem leader, Ed Davy, “has been hugely supportive” to her, “as have all my colleagues at Westminster”.
She added: “Basically I decided that I didn’t want any more tension and division. I could see that it was all flaring up and I just didn’t want that.
“So for myself, for my family, for my staff - who have had quite a difficult time over the past few months with various things, I just decided that it was best just to walk away.
“I heard rumblings about something going on and then I started talking to members of the executive about what was happening. They all seemed very concerned with my age, which I found a bit odd.”
One Lib Dem source said that “Kevin has been eyeing up her seat for a while”.
The source added: “It’s all a bit distasteful. The party could really do without the hassle. It’s all a bit grubby.”
But a source close to Mr Cole-Hamilton insisted that there was no truth in the suggestion Mr Lang was being lined up to take Ms Jardine’s seat, stressing that there has been no consideration of any other candidate.
Another source in Mr Cole-Hamilton’s inner circle said Ms Jardine stepping down “has all happened very suddenly”, claiming that it was “important to focus on Christine and what she’s accomplished”.
Ms Jardine also took a veiled swipe at those vying to replace her.
She said: “One of the things I dislike about modern politics is that there are too many people who are in it for personal ambition and it’s about positioning rather than principles.
“It will be important to me that whoever becomes the next MP Edinburgh West is someone who puts people and principles ahead of political positioning.”
A Scottish Lib Dem spokesperson said: “We would like to thank Christine for all her hard work as an MP.
“Her work on childhood bereavement, in supporting Ukrainian refugees and in supporting her constituents in the capital means she will have a long legacy.
"The selection of local candidates is a matter for local parties. Now that Christine has announced her intention not to restand, candidate selection will take place in the usual manner."
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