Joanna Cherry QC chosen as SNP candidate in Edinburgh South West

The seat been represented by a member of the Faculty of Advocates since 1974, with Malcolm Rifkind QC, Linda Clark QC and, currently, Alastair Darling, who is standing down at the election.

The Conservative candidate for the seat, Gordon Lindhorst, is also a member of Faculty.

Ms Cherry is a native of Edinburgh and a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. She has been in practice as an advocate in the Scottish courts for nearly 20 years and took silk in 2009.

Ms Cherry has previously held the public offices of standing junior counsel to the Scottish government and advocate depute.

She was one of the first specialist sex crimes prosecutors in the Crown Office’s national sex crimes unit.

She is ranked by the Legal 500 as one of the leading QCs in Scotland.

Ms Cherry has a strong commitment to social justice and has carried out pro bono work as well as working with bodies such as Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis.

She has been a member of the SNP since 2008 and campaigned during the independence referendum as co-founder and convener of Lawyers for Yes, persuading nearly 200 lawyers to publicly declare their support of the Yes campaign, as well as writing newspapers articles, press releases, speaking at debates and public meetings and appearing on radio and television.

Her selection has been endorsed by former first minister Alex Salmond (pictured right) who said: “Joanna Cherry is just the type of MP the SNP needs – articulate, intelligent and determined to secure the best for Scotland.

“I look forward to campaigning with her and working with her at Westminster and in Scotland.”