Former Scottish health secretary Michael Matheson to stand down at next Holyrood election

17 March 2025, 10:12

Shamed MSP Michael Matheson has announced he does not intend to stand at next year's Holyrood election.

The former Scottish health secretary is one of more than 20 SNP MSPs who have confirmed plans to step down ahead of the 2026 vote.

Mr Matheson was first elected to the Scottish parliament in 1999 and has held a number of government roles, including justice secretary and transport secretary.

He was forced to quit the health brief last year amid a row over a near £11,000 iPad data roaming bill.

The Falkirk West MSP had initially billed taxpayers before U-turning following a public outcry.

Mr Matheson claimed the iPad had only been used for parliamentary work during a family holiday to Morocco and blamed an outdated SIM card for the excessive bill.

Although there had been a SIM card error, it later emerged his teenage sons had been using the device as a hotspot to stream football while on the trip.

Mr Matheson was later handed the longest ever ban from the Scottish parliament and docked wages for breaching the MSP code of conduct.

In an interview following the furore, Mr Matheson said the incident was "completely blown out of all proportion".

In a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday, he confirmed he was looking forward to "seeking new challenges out with frontline politics".

Mr Matheson wrote: "As one of the original Members of the Scottish Parliament elected in 1999, by the time of the election in 2026 I will have served as an MSP for 27 years.

"When I joined the SNP at 17 years of age the re-establishment of a Scottish parliament was still a distant prospect.

"I could never have imagined that I would have had the privilege to represent Falkirk in our national parliament for over two decades."

The politician thanked his constituents and paid tribute to his staff and colleagues for their support over the years.

He added: "I will of course continue to serve my constituents to the best of my ability for the remainder of my term, and I look forward to seeking new challenges out with frontline politics."

First Minister John Swinney said he was "sorry" to see Mr Matheson step down.

He added: "Michael is a valued colleague who has made a significant contribution to the work of parliament and government since 1999. I wish him well for the future."

In recent months, several SNP MSPs have announced plans to stand down next year.

The long list includes former first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon, Finance Secretary Shona Robison and Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop.

The SNP lost dozens of MPs in last year's general election, falling to just nine. Some of these former politicians may plot a return to the benches, but this time north of the border.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has been accepted by his party as a potential candidate for the Holyrood election.

Mr Flynn had previously announced plans for a dual mandate to stand for the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine seat, currently held by SNP MSP Audrey Nicoll, but U-turned following a backlash.

Ms Nicoll has since announced she does not intend to stand next year.

Mr Flynn, the MP for Aberdeen South, has often been touted as a potential future party leader.

Although Mr Flynn previously brushed off speculation about taking over from Mr Swinney, a move to Holyrood would put him on the right track towards Scotland's top job.

(c) Sky News 2025: Former Scottish health secretary Michael Matheson to stand down at next Holyrood election