diff --git a/lib/iris/tests/unit/common/metadata/test__NamedTupleMeta.py b/lib/iris/tests/unit/common/metadata/test__NamedTupleMeta.py
index 5099645082..6009cb85f7 100644
--- a/lib/iris/tests/unit/common/metadata/test__NamedTupleMeta.py
+++ b/lib/iris/tests/unit/common/metadata/test__NamedTupleMeta.py
@@ -4,16 +4,14 @@
 # See LICENSE in the root of the repository for full licensing details.
 """Unit tests for the :class:`iris.common.metadata._NamedTupleMeta`."""
 
-# Import iris.tests first so that some things can be initialised before
-# importing anything else.
-import iris.tests as tests  # isort:skip
-
 from abc import abstractmethod
 
+import pytest
+
 from iris.common.metadata import _NamedTupleMeta
 
 
-class Test(tests.IrisTest):
+class Test:
     @staticmethod
     def names(classes):
         return [cls.__name__ for cls in classes]
@@ -42,11 +40,11 @@ def _members(self):
                 pass
 
         expected = ["object"]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(Metadata.__bases__), expected)
+        assert self.names(Metadata.__bases__) == expected
         expected = ["Metadata", "object"]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(Metadata.__mro__), expected)
+        assert self.names(Metadata.__mro__) == expected
         emsg = "Can't instantiate abstract class .* with abstract method.* _members"
-        with self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, emsg):
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match=emsg):
             _ = Metadata()
 
     def test__no_bases_single_member(self):
@@ -56,15 +54,15 @@ class Metadata(metaclass=_NamedTupleMeta):
             _members = member
 
         expected = ["MetadataNamedtuple"]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(Metadata.__bases__), expected)
+        assert self.names(Metadata.__bases__) == expected
         expected = ["Metadata", "MetadataNamedtuple", "tuple", "object"]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(Metadata.__mro__), expected)
+        assert self.names(Metadata.__mro__) == expected
         emsg = self.emsg_generate(member)
-        with self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, emsg):
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match=emsg):
             _ = Metadata()
         metadata = Metadata(1)
-        self.assertEqual(metadata._fields, (member,))
-        self.assertEqual(metadata.arg_one, 1)
+        assert metadata._fields == (member,)
+        assert metadata.arg_one == 1
 
     def test__no_bases_multiple_members(self):
         members = ("arg_one", "arg_two")
@@ -73,17 +71,17 @@ class Metadata(metaclass=_NamedTupleMeta):
             _members = members
 
         expected = ["MetadataNamedtuple"]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(Metadata.__bases__), expected)
+        assert self.names(Metadata.__bases__) == expected
         expected = ["Metadata", "MetadataNamedtuple", "tuple", "object"]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(Metadata.__mro__), expected)
+        assert self.names(Metadata.__mro__) == expected
         emsg = self.emsg_generate(members)
-        with self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, emsg):
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match=emsg):
             _ = Metadata()
         values = range(len(members))
         metadata = Metadata(*values)
-        self.assertEqual(metadata._fields, members)
+        assert metadata._fields == members
         expected = dict(zip(members, values))
-        self.assertEqual(metadata._asdict(), expected)
+        assert metadata._asdict() == expected
 
     def test__multiple_bases_multiple_members(self):
         members_parent = ("arg_one", "arg_two")
@@ -97,26 +95,26 @@ class MetadataChild(MetadataParent):
 
         # Check the parent class...
         expected = ["MetadataParentNamedtuple"]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(MetadataParent.__bases__), expected)
+        assert self.names(MetadataParent.__bases__) == expected
         expected = [
             "MetadataParent",
             "MetadataParentNamedtuple",
             "tuple",
             "object",
         ]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(MetadataParent.__mro__), expected)
+        assert self.names(MetadataParent.__mro__) == expected
         emsg = self.emsg_generate(members_parent)
-        with self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, emsg):
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match=emsg):
             _ = MetadataParent()
         values_parent = range(len(members_parent))
         metadata_parent = MetadataParent(*values_parent)
-        self.assertEqual(metadata_parent._fields, members_parent)
+        assert metadata_parent._fields == members_parent
         expected = dict(zip(members_parent, values_parent))
-        self.assertEqual(metadata_parent._asdict(), expected)
+        assert metadata_parent._asdict() == expected
 
         # Check the dependent child class...
         expected = ["MetadataChildNamedtuple", "MetadataParent"]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(MetadataChild.__bases__), expected)
+        assert self.names(MetadataChild.__bases__) == expected
         expected = [
             "MetadataChild",
             "MetadataChildNamedtuple",
@@ -125,17 +123,13 @@ class MetadataChild(MetadataParent):
             "tuple",
             "object",
         ]
-        self.assertEqual(self.names(MetadataChild.__mro__), expected)
+        assert self.names(MetadataChild.__mro__) == expected
         emsg = self.emsg_generate((*members_parent, *members_child))
-        with self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, emsg):
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match=emsg):
             _ = MetadataChild()
         fields_child = (*members_parent, *members_child)
         values_child = range(len(fields_child))
         metadata_child = MetadataChild(*values_child)
-        self.assertEqual(metadata_child._fields, fields_child)
+        assert metadata_child._fields == fields_child
         expected = dict(zip(fields_child, values_child))
-        self.assertEqual(metadata_child._asdict(), expected)
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    tests.main()
+        assert metadata_child._asdict() == expected