Deidre Brock has replaced Sally Donald as the Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate for Edinburgh Southern.
Donald stepped down on 4 March amid controversy over her eligibility for an Adult Disability Payment (ADP).
The 31-year-old “strenuously denied any and all wrongdoing” yet resigned so as not to distract from the SNP’s ongoing campaign.
Donald has previously made public her struggle with anxiety and autism.
ADP helps those who cannot or find it difficult to bathe themselves, verbally communicate, and engage socially, for example.
Donald has reportedly been receiving ADP for years.
This pension can total up to £10,000 a year tax-free.
Following an anonymous whistleblower, Social Security Scotland is investigating the claim.
Donald was an SNP Staffer working for Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey MP Graham Leadbitter
Donald previously faced controversy regarding a photograph of her in front of an SNP election bus during the council elections.
She captioned the photo “all aboard the gravy bus”, in reference to criticisms of several SNP figures being on a financial “gravy train.”
The Scottish Conservatives previously described Donald’s comment as “insulting and demeaning” to the Scottish people.
During First Minister’s Questions on 7 March, the Scottish Conservative Leader, Russell Findlay, questioned First Minister John Swinney about his knowledge of Donald.
Swinney had a good relationship with Donald and even attended her campaign launch.
However, the First Minister used this investigation and controversy to prove that the pension system is functioning well.
Brock, the former MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, is taking over Donald’s campaign.
In 2024, Labour took her seat with a majority of 7,268.
However, Scottish Labour won Edinburgh Southern with over 20,000 votes in comparison to the SNP’s 16,000 in 2021.
However, as of 5 March, the SNP leads the national polls with 35.2 per cent, with Reform coming second with 18 per cent.
Scottish Labour is only predicted to gain 16.6 per cent of the vote.
Image by Ulia Makoveeva for The Student.