A FORMER SNP candidate for the European Parliament claims he can unseat East Renfrewshire MSP Jackson Carlaw in next year’s Holyrood elections.

Alex Kerr, 26, has announced his intention to seek his party’s nomination for the Eastwood Constituency in the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections. 

It is one of two seats including Renfrewshire South that represents people living in the East Renfrewshire Council area.

Kerr was one of the six candidates who stood for the SNP in the 2019 European Elections with three Alyn Smith, Christian Allard and Aileen McLeod winning seats.

Eastwood is currently held by Jackson Carlaw, who was the Scottish Conservative leader until July 30 when he suddenly resigned. 

Mr Kerr said: “If selected, I believe I could be the first SNP MSP for Eastwood. 

“I’m looking forward to making my case for nomination to the SNP members living in Eastwood Constituency over the coming weeks.”

For the last five years Kerr has worked as an MSP’s researcher and communications officer at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

Eastwood covers areas like Clarkston and Newton Mearns while Renfrewshire South represents Barrhead and Neilston.

In Eastwood, the SNP need to overturn a majority of 1,610 which Jackson Carlaw won from Labour in 2016.

In the 2019 General Election the SNP’s  Kirsten Oswald MP unseated Conservative Paul Masterton with a 5,426 majority.