Stephen Flynn

Stephen Mark Flynn (born 13 October 1988) is a Scottish politician who has served as the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the House of Commons since December 2022. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Aberdeen South since 2019.

Early life and career

Member for Aberdeen South

Stephen Flynn was born on 13 October 1988 in Dundee, and went to school in Brechin and Dundee. He studied at the University of Dundee, graduating with an undergraduate Master of Arts (MA Hons) in history and politics, and a Master of Letters (MLitt) degree in international politics and security studies.

Flynn previously worked as an assistant to Callum McCaig and in the office of Maureen Watt in Aberdeen.

Flynn was first elected to Aberdeen City Council for the Kincorth/Nigg/Cove Ward in 2015 and served as leader of the SNP group on Aberdeen City Council from 2016 till his election to Parliament in 2019. Flynn resigned as a councillor on the grounds that he could not effectively serve on the council and as an MP at the same time, saying to ''The Press and Journal'', "I have also consistently stated that it is not practically possible to serve a full term in a parliament and dedicate time to be an effective local councillor."

Parliamentary career

Flynn was elected to Parliament as MP for Aberdeen South at the 2019 general election with 45% of the vote and a majority of 3,990 votes. Following his election, Flynn was appointed to the role of Shadow SNP Deputy Spokesperson (Treasury – Financial Secretary). He was promoted to the front bench in February 2021 as Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). Flynn was re-elected to Parliament as MP for Aberdeen South with a decreased vote share of 32.8% and a decreased majority of 3,758.

SNP Westminster leader

Following the decision of Ian Blackford to stand down as the SNP Westminster Group Leader, Flynn announced his candidacy for the role, defeating Alison Thewliss 26–17 in a vote of Scottish National Party MPs. His appointment to His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council was announced on 28 March 2024 as part of the 2024 Special Honours, thereby granting him the title ''The Right Honourable'' for life.

Flynn's leadership came at a time of a cost of living crisis and when the United Kingdom's Supreme Court set out that the Scottish Parliament does not have the devolved competence to hold an independence referendum without the consent of the British Government. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had set out plans for the next election to the House of Commons to be a proxy referendum on independence, putting the Frontbench Team at the centre of a constitutional campaign within Scotland.

In February 2024, Flynn was highly critical of the role of the speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle during a parliamentary debate on a Gaza ceasefire motion. Flynn stated that "he and his party has been treated with utter contempt and would need "significant convincing" that the Speaker's position was "not now intolerable". The SNP motion was criticised by, amongst others, David Lammy, who stated that "The SNP motion appears one sided. For any ceasefire to work, it must, by necessity, be observed by both sides, or it is not a ceasefire...Israelis have the right to the assurance that the horror of 7 October cannot happen again."

In the 2024 general election, the SNP suffered huge losses losing the vast majority of their seats. As a result, Flynn unveiled a new much slimmed down frontbench including himself, Pete Wishart as his deputy and Kirsty Blackman as chief whip. On 23 July 2024, Labour withdrew the whip from 7 of its MPs who had supported an amendment tabled by Flynn to scrap the two-child benefit cap that was introduced by the Cameron–Clegg coalition in 2013, with Flynn claiming that scrapping the cap would immediately raise 300,000 children out of poverty. MPs rejected the SNP amendment by 363 votes to 103.

In February 2025, internal SNP sources accused Flynn of running a "boys' brigade" in Westminster amid reports that he had identified a group of SNP MSPs he wanted to stand down from the Scottish Parliament to make room for ex-MPs who had lost their seats in the 2024 general election. The alleged "hit list", which included Collette Stevenson, Jackie Dunbar, Emma Roddick, Evelyn Tweed, and Karen Adam, was reported to have been drawn up at Flynn's direction by Aberdeenshire North and Moray East MP Seamus Logan. A spokesperson for Flynn dismissed the allegations, saying the report was "total nonsense and entirely untrue". An SNP source told '' The National''; "I don't think it's nonsense. I'm not surprised by the news story, by the list, by it being only women. That is the feeling that I have had throughout, with the whole Tuesday boys' club, the way that the party in Westminster is run."

2024 suspension of rebel Labour MPs

On 23 July 2024, the Labour Party withdrew the whip from 7 of its MPs who had supported an amendment tabled by Flynn to scrap the two child benefit cap. Flynn stated that scrapping the cap would immediately raise 300,000 children out of poverty. MPs rejected the SNP amendment by 363 votes to 103. The seven Labour MPs suspended for six months were John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana, who now sit as independents but remain members of the Labour Party.

2024 double jobbing controversy

In November 2024, Flynn announced that he intended to stand as the SNP candidate for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, whilst remaining as the MP for Aberdeen South in Westminster. Flynn's plan to potentially hold a dual mandate - known as double jobbing in British politics - sparked significant controversy: SNP rules require MPs to resign Westminster seats before seeking Holyrood selection, and the SNP had previously criticised Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross for double jobbing. Flynn claimed the party rules were "election-specific".

Flynn's announcement faced backlash from within the SNP and opposition parties. In particular, Joanna Cherry and George Adam criticised the decision, while incumbent MSP Audrey Nicoll reaffirmed her intent to run. Emma Roddick's criticism highlighted tensions within the SNP, prompting calls for unity from Shirley-Anne Somerville. Critics, including the Scottish Conservatives and Labour, supported motions to ban double jobbing. Flynn abandoned his plan on November 21, 2024, stating he would not pursue a dual mandate.

Personal life

Flynn is married to Lynn Flynn with two children. His father Mark Flynn is a Dundee City councillor who was elected as leader of the council in August 2024.

Flynn has suffered from a serious condition called avascular necrosis since his teens and underwent a hip replacement for it in 2020. In 2023, he told '' The News Agents'' "I was disabled" before the operation, and had walked with a crutch for eighteen years, which led to him reading more as a child.

References

External links

Profile
on SNP website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Flynn, Stephen
1988 births
Living people
Alumni of the University of Dundee
Councillors in Aberdeen
Politicians from Dundee
Scottish National Party councillors
Scottish National Party MPs
UK MPs 2019–2024
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
UK MPs 2024–present