The SNP has been accused of attempting to oust a number of its own MSPs at the next Holyrood election.

The news, revealed in a list of rankings for 2004 parliamentary elections, prompted a furious row - with claims from one MSP that a senior party figure had plotted her downfall.

The new rankings for the top-up regional seats at Holyrood effectively mean that several current nationalist MSPs will lose their seats in the Holyrood parliament.

Despite claims of a stitch-up, SNP leader John Swinney predicted the party would close ranks and focus on taking its message out to the people of Scotland.

"This is a strong and dedicated team who are eager to campaign for the full powers of a normal country in the 2003 elections," he said.

His intervention came as party members used the selection process for the regional top-up lists to effectively de-select a number of MSPs.

Victory chances

In the Lothians region, where the party currently holds three list seats, Margo MacDonald has been ranked in fifth place and is now unlikely to be re-elected.

Her former position on the list was taken by Kenny MacAskill. The other seats could be taken by sitting MSP Fiona Hyslop and newcomer Ian McKee, who is ranked third.

MacDonald said MacAskill, the party's transport spokesman, had opposed her selection.

She accused his supporters of plotting to ensure she was given a position low down on the regional list.

Speaking on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, she accused the party of using "heavy handed tactics" to oust her.

"It is true that Mr MacAskill has been anxious that I shouldn't appear on the list and his supporters have been helping him in this objective," she said.

"I think the nature of the system is very destabilising with regards to the parliament. That is why for a long time now I have been critical of it."

But Swinney said MacDonald would be fighting a "winnable" first past the post constituency in Edinburgh South, which could see her returned as an MSP.

With the selection process complete Swinney said his party would now focus on effective campaigning.

"Now that the SNP's selection processes are complete, all of us in the SNP will be canvassing and campaigning as never before to ensure SNP success in the second Scottish general election," he said.

"The SNP have the practical policies and the people to bring about social and economic justice in Scotland and this is the team who will be taking that message across Scotland."

But the row over the selection system looks certain to spill out into other areas.

In North East Scotland, where four seats were won by the nationalists in the last elections, Irene McGugan is ranked seventh and is certain to lose her seat.

Sitting MSP Fiona McLeod has been ranked seventh in the West of Scotland region and is also set to be ousted from the Scottish parliament.

Newcomers Campbell Martin, Bruce McFee, Stewart Maxwell and James Yuill hold the top four places on the west coast.

Other developments

Mike Russell's fate hangs in the balance in the South of Scotland, depending on whether a Conservative revival prevents Alasdair Morgan holding the Galloway and Upper Nithsdale seat.

With the Tories winning the seat at the general election, a repeat performance could see Russell squeezed out.

In the Central region the five current MSPs occupy the top rankings, while in the Highlands and Islands Jim Mather and Rob Gibson could replace Winnie Ewing and Duncan Hamilton, assuming that Fergus Ewing and Margaret Ewing retain their first-past-the-post seats.

With three seats currently held in the Mid Scotland and Fife region, victories in the first past the post seats for John Swinney and Roseanna Cunningham should see Bruce Crawford, Tricia Marwick and George Reid re-elected.

In the Glasgow region, where the party won four list seats at the last election and subsequently kicked Dorothy-Grace Elder out of the party, Kenny Gibson could be set to take her seat.

The decision came after candidates attended eight hustings meetings in each of the regions last weekend.

List row

The Additional Member System electoral system used by the Scottish parliament means that voters cast one vote for candidates standing in their constituency and a second vote for a political party, or for a candidate standing as an individual, within a larger electoral region.

Each region has seven additional seats in the parliament, with parties allocated additional seats dependent upon the number of constituency seats it won.

A candidate's chance of being elected depends upon their position on the party's regional list - with those closest to the top standing the best chance of election.

In the last Scottish parliament election, held in May 1999, 28 of the SNP's 35 seats were gained through the regional lists.

Assuming a similar performance in the next elections, to be held on May 1, 2003, four current SNP members of the parliament face losing their seats.