JOANNA Cherry is currently the front-runner to win the SNP’s nomination to unseat Ruth Davidson at the next Holyrood election, according to a former SNP MSP for the area.

Marco Biagi, who represented Edinburgh Central until he stood down in 2016, said there is “definite warmth” among local activists for the MP as a result of her prominent role in the campaign to revoke Article 50.

Cherry emerged yesterday as a possible contender to oust the Scottish Tory leader following reports former deputy party leader Angus Robertson and MEP Alyn Smith are considering putting themselves forward to fight the seat.

Biagi, a former local government minister, told The National if the contest took place “tomorrow” Cherry would win, but he said such a situation could change.

He said: “From people I have spoken to [in the area] there is a definite warmth for Joanna Cherry. In part because she is better known.

“A lot of people don’t know Angus Robertson grew up in the constituency and went to school in the constituency.

“When people hear that they are more open to him. But at the moment on the basis of familiarity and profile Joanna seems to be very popular with people I have spoken to.”

He added: “If the election was tomorrow Joanna would be ahead. But the election isn’t tomorrow, so it’s hard to say.”

SNP branches have yet to select candidates for the Scottish Parliament election in 2021. An all female short list was in place for the seat during the internal selection process for the 2016 election following a party rule that when a male SNP MSP stepped down he should be replaced by a woman. Procedures have yet to be determined by the party for 2021.

Biagi also pointed out a few months ago office bearers in the branch wrote to Smith asking him to consider standing. “None of these candidates have declared. None of them have made their appeals or put forward their case,” he said.

He did not say who he would back. “I would be torn between all three choices. I know them all. They are all tremendous people with exceptional ability ... it is very hard to predict a favourite at this point. Joanna has massive profile right now through her work on the EU, but we don’t know what the situation will be in six months’ time, what sort of bids they will be putting forward or if indeed they all run. It’s exciting. It’s a line up that would flatter a national office. I don’t think the last [SNP] deputy leadership race had such a range of people with such weight within the party running. Edinburgh Central can be grateful there is such an interest.”

Cherry, who is a QC, has been MP for Edinburgh South West since May 2015, and is the SNP justice and home affairs spokeswoman in the Commons.

Robertson stood down as the SNP’s deputy leader last year after losing his Westminster seat to the Tories’ Douglas Ross in Moray. Since then he has launched Progress Scotland, a pro-independence research group.

Smith is also popular among SNP members and has a high profile after a number of stirring speeches in the European Parliament underlining an independent Scotland’s firm ambition to rejoin the EU.

When asked about a return to active politics Robertson told the Sunday Times: “While it is an honour to be linked by others to the constituency, the nomination process has not even started. I am totally focused on my work with my new venture Progress Scotland, and to the challenges of impending parenthood.”

Smith said: “I am 100% engaged in fighting Brexit, and while I am open to offers and want to be where I am most useful for the cause my head is very much engaged in stopping Brexit and I have no time for the idle speculation of others.”