A SCOTTISH Government minister has announced that they will be stepping down as an MSP at the next election after 27 years at Holyrood.
Richard Lochhead, who has been an MSP since the Scottish Parliament was reconvened in 1999 and currently serves as Business Minister, said on Sunday that he would not be standing in the 2026 elections.
A former environment secretary, Lochhead told a party meeting in Elgin: “Come the 2026 election, I will have had the absolute privilege of representing Moray for twenty years and will have served as a MSP since our national parliament was reconvened in 1999.
“After much reflection I’ve decided it is time to pass on the torch, and to seek fresh challenges outwith frontline politics.
“I’ve witnessed the SNP move from the fringes to where we are now – still the most popular party in Scotland by some margin according to the latest opinion polls and after seventeen years in government.
“From the bottom of my heart I want to thank my constituents for their endorsement and encouragement over the past twenty years – it has been the privilege of my life to represent the people of Moray.
“I must also thank my constituency office team and all members of Moray SNP Constituency Association for their support over the years – I could not have asked for better.
“I am proud of all we have delivered for Moray since the SNP came to office in 2007, including flood prevention schemes, new schools, more affordable housing, new health centres, the new Lossie bridge and so much more.
“I will endeavour to serve my constituents to the best of my ability for the remainder of my term and to do all I can to support the SNP Government, and will always maintain my lifelong commitment to the cause of independence for our country.
“I look forward to supporting the next SNP candidate for Moray in 2026 and will be working hard to ensure Moray once again returns an SNP MSP.”
Lochhead was first elected as an MSP in 1999 for the north east region, a position he was again elected to in 2003.
He stepped down in 2006 in order to stand in the Moray by-election sparked by the death of the SNP’s Margaret Ewing. Lochhead won and has been elected for the constituency in every Holyrood election since.
Lochhead was the cabinet secretary for rural affairs, food and environment from 2007 until he stepped down in 2016.
He returned to government in August 2018 as the minister for further education, became just transition minister in 2021, and business minister in 2023.
Last year, the SNP MSP said he had been forced to "learn to walk again" after a life-threatening battle with sepsis.
"The NHS saved my life. It reminds you in this country how lucky we are to have the NHS and it was there for me in my hour of need," Lochhead said. "I'm eternally grateful."
