Why are so many MSPs choosing to leave Holyrood?

Shona Robison (a woman with blonde hair worn up on her head and a dark suit) in conversation with Kate Forbes (a woman with shoulder-length black hair and a blue dress) at a Scottish government cabinet event — Image caption,
Shona Robison and Kate Forbes are top government ministers - and both are standing down

Phil Sim

BBC Scotland political correspondent

31 August 2025

A record number of MSPs are choosing to leave the Scottish Parliament at next year's election.

A total of 38 MSPs have so far confirmed they will not be standing again, including two former first ministers, two opposition party leaders and four sitting cabinet secretaries.

Every major party will see members stand down, and will hope to see new faces elected in their place.

Why are so many politicians opting not to seek a return to Holyrood?

A photograph of the original intake of the Scottish Parliament, 129 MSPs pictured in the previous parliament building at Edinburgh's Assembly Hall. — Image caption,
Only a few MSPs from the original class of 1999 are still standing in 2026

Some members are opting to retire after a lengthy period of service.

Eight of those stepping down were first elected in 1999.

That includes sitting cabinet secretaries, like Shona Robison and Fiona Hyslop.

A lot of leadership experience is leaving - six of the nine members of cabinet appointed by Nicola Sturgeon at the start of the parliamentary term are not seeking a return.

That includes some of the old guard like Michael Matheson, but also some younger ministers like Mairi Gougeon.

It is almost the final act of generational change to the parliament re-established in 1999.

There are only three MSPs left who have been at Holyrood continuously since day one, and who are aiming to extend their service to over 30 years.

They are the first minister John Swinney, Labour's deputy leader Jackie Baillie, and SNP stalwart turned independent candidate Fergus Ewing.

A picture from 2021 of Nicola Sturgeon's cabinet, waving from the steps of Bute House. From left they are Shona Robison (leaving), Michael Matheson (leaving), Kate Forbes (leaving), John Swinney (standing), Nicola Sturgeon (leaving), Humza Yousaf (leaving), Mairi Gougeon (leaving), Keith Brown (standing) and Angus Robertson (standing) — Image caption,
Six out of nine cabinet members from the start of this term are waving goodbye to Holyrood

At the other end of the scale, seven MSPs are choosing to leave after only a single term at Holyrood.

All are female, and there is a particular concern about young women like Natalie Don-Innes - a promising junior minister - leaving parliament to focus on their families.

Holyrood was set up as a "family friendly" parliament but that has not always been true in practice, with complaints about late-night sittings and the lack of a proper childcare option for members.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes - widely considered a potential successor to Mr Swinney - put particular emphasis on spending time with her family in her surprise announcement about standing down.

This is not a new thing; 2021 saw MSP parents like Aileen Campbell and Jenny Marra step down. Gail Ross was another who left citing the strains of balancing a family life with an enormous Highland constituency.

Some have also voiced concerns about the wider political environment, and the toxic nature of debate online.

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross (a man with short dark hair) pictured working as a football linesman at what appears to be a Motherwell match. He is wearing all black football kit and holding a yellow and orange flag, and is in front of an advertising board reading "all new beginnings". — Image caption,
Douglas Ross could fall back on his job as a football linesman after leaving Holyrood

Obviously, politics plays into this in a big way too.

In some cases, former party leaders are seeking a fresh start.

Humza Yousaf is leaving Holyrood after his brief term as first minister came crashing to a self-inflicted halt.

Douglas Ross is off too, having stepped down as Scottish Conservative leader after a similarly spectacular political miscalculation, while former Labour supremo Richard Leonard is also away.

The changing of the guard at Holyrood is also not unconnected from that which just happened at Westminster.

The SNP have so far selected 71 constituency candidates, and fully a dozen of them are former or sitting MPs.

Familiar faces like Alyn Smith, Alison Thewliss, David Linden and Kirsten Oswald are looking to bounce back from losing their seats last year by winning one at Holyrood.

Two sitting MPs are also looking to switch parliament - Stephen Gethins and Stephen Flynn.

Notably, Mr Flynn's nomination for Aberdeen came at the expense of the sitting MSP, Audrey Nicoll.

She ultimately chose to stand aside on her own terms, but recommended a "period of self-reflection" from her potential successor.

That came amid claims that allies of Mr Flynn sought to open up spaces in other seats, with a "hit list" of female SNP MSPs.

One of them, Evelyn Tweed, announced she was standing down after calling for "protections" for sitting female MSPs against male challengers.

SNP MSP Audrey Nicoll - a middle-aged woman with glasses, wearing a black and white blouse - pictured in the Holyrood chamber. — Image caption,
Audrey Nicoll said she decided to leave on her own terms - but had choice words for Stephen Flynn

Only a handful of MSPs are still to declare either way as to whether they will be standing next year, with selection contests still under way.

There could be a few more departures to come when parties decide their rankings for the eight regional lists.

Party selections there could have a big bearing on whether or not MSPs are returned - Maggie Chapman's effort to be returned in North East Scotland got considerably more difficult when she could only secure second place on the Green list.

All of this comes before the electorate get involved, of course.

When you factor in MSPs who fail to be returned at the ballot box, the number of new faces next term could be huge.

But we already know that Holyrood is going to look very different come the end of May 2026.