Ken Jack / Contributor via Getty ImagesFormer health secretary Michael Matheson has announced he is to step down at the next election.
Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, announced on Sunday evening that after more than 25 years as a politician he will not be seeking to keep his parliamentary seat.
Matheson was one of the original MSPs, elected in 1999, and will have served 27 years by the time the 2026 election comes around.
His announcement follows confirmation from other SNP veterans that they will also step down – including former first minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Matheson said serving the community has been a “privilege” and that he is grateful to his constituents for their support over more than two decades.
He 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.
“I want to offer my sincere thanks to my constituents for the support and encouragement they have given me over the last 26 years, it has been the privilege of my life to represent the people of Falkirk.”
Matheson was originally elected for the Central Scotland region, and later became Falkirk West’s MSP in 2007.
During his parliamentary career, he has served as justice secretary (2014-18), transport secretary (2018-23) and health secretary (2023-24).
Getty ImagesMatheson resigned as Scotland’s health secretary after he racked up an £11,000 data bill on his official iPad.
He initially denied there had been any inappropriate use of the device, when asked by journalists.
Opposition political parties accused the then-health secretary of lying over his explanations about how the large data usage occurred.
Eventually, in a tearful address, Matheson revealed the bill had been as a result of his children using the device as a wifi hotspot to watch football during a holiday in Morocco.
After months of revelations, Matheson stood down as health secretary in February. He was given the longest ever suspension from the Scottish Parliament.
He paid tribute to his peers and colleagues for their support over his parliamentary career, and said he is proud of the progress made in his constituency since his tenure began.
He wrote: “During my time in Parliament, I was also honoured to serve in Government for 13 years across five different ministerial portfolios.
“I will always be deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to serve in Government and to implement policy in justice, health, transport and climate change that has made Scotland a better place for all.
“I want to thank my constituency office staff – some of whom have been with me throughout my time in Parliament for their support over the years.
“I also could not ask for a better constituency association who have been with me every step of the way during our election campaigns.”
He added: “While there are many challenges within the Falkirk West constituency, I am extremely proud of the improvements that have been achieved since the SNP’s election in 2007, with investment in our hospital, more affordable social housing and improvements to our school estate to name a few.
“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 outwith frontline politics.
“In passing on the Falkirk West SNP torch, I look forward to supporting our candidate for next year’s election to ensure Falkirk West returns an SNP MSP.
“Yours for Scotland, Michael.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
