Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon will not seek re-election next year

Key Points

Former First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has announced that she will step down from Parliament next year
The ex-SNP leader has been an MSP since the formation of Scottish Parliament in 1999
Sturgeon stepped down as First Minister in 2023 after leading the country for nine years
Sturgeon said that “in her heart”, she knew it the “time was right to open a new chapter” in her life.

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon will not seek re-election next year.

The ex-SNP leader announced on Wednesday morning that she will stand down from Holyrood in 2026.

Sturgeon said that “in her heart”, she knew it the “time was right to open a new chapter” in her life.

Sturgeon has been the MSP for the Glasgow Southside constituency since the formation of Scottish Parliament in 1999.

She spent almost a decade as Scotland’s first minister. She left office in 2023 after nine years in the top job.

In January, Sturgeon announced her separation from her husband and former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell. The announcement came after a turbulent few years for the couple that saw them both being arrested in connection with the police investigation into alleged misuse of party funds.

Sturgeon and former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie were questioned as part of the investigation in June 2023 but were not charged.

Murrell was charged with embezzlement in April last year, but prosecutors from the Crown Office have yet to issue information over further action.

In a statement on social media on Wednesday, Sturgeon said: “Being one of the original 1999 Members of the Scottish Parliament, serving (by the time of the election) for 27 years – almost exactly half my life – and getting to represent Glasgow Southside, the best constituency in Scotland, has been an honour beyond words.

“However, I have known in my heart for a while that the time is right for me to embrace different opportunities in a new chapter of my life. I have therefore written this morning to SNP members in my constituency informing them that I will not be seeking selection for next year’s Holyrood election.

“To my constituents, past and present: thank you for the trust you have placed in me. Being your MSP has been my privilege and I will continue to represent you to the best of my abilities until I step down next year.

“To Southside SNP members: your support, loyalty and friendship, through thick and thin, has meant more to me than you will ever know. You are the best of the best.

“To SNP members across the country: I may be leaving Parliament, but I will be by your side every step of the way as we complete our journey to independence.”

Sturgeon is one of many senior Scottish politicians retiring from Holyrood next year.

Former first minister Humza Yousaf; Scotland’s transport secretary Fiona Hyslop; former deputy first minister and finance secretary Shona Robison; and 19 other MSPs – including politicians from Labour and Conservative parties will also step down ahead of the 2026 elections.

Operation Branchform

Operation Branchform has been ongoing since 2021 and is investigating what happened to around £600,000 raised by the party for independence campaigning.

Sturgeon and former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie were questioned as part of the investigation in June 2023 but were not charged.

A Freedom of Information request published in November confirmed that 11 police officers are currently allocated to the investigation.

The former first minster said she knew “nothing more” about the police investigation when asked in December.

A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: “It would not be appropriate to comment in detail on steps taken by the Crown during an investigation.

“Court actions must be registered in the name of the Lord Advocate and that reflects a constitutional position and not personal involvement.

“The investigation into SNP finances is being handled by professional prosecutors from COPFS and independent counsel without the involvement of the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General.”