A SCOTTISH Tory MSP has announced he will stand down ahead of the 2026 election after a decade in Holyrood.
North East Scotland list MSP Maurice Golden, one of a small minority of Scottish Tory MSPs without a role on the party’s frontbench, announced his intention to stand down on Monday afternoon.
Golden was previously a West of Scotland MSP before being elected on the North East regional list at the last Holyrood election in 2021.
He was chief whip and spokesperson for the environment under former leader Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson.
He said: “As the selection process gathers pace, it is timely to announce that I have decided not to seek re-election in 2026.
“I have enjoyed working with colleagues across the chamber and I wish all of those seeking re-election the very best.”
Golden added: “Since entering Parliament in 2016, I have consistently championed progressive climate change policies as I believe this is the greatest challenge we face.
“My commitment to tackling climate change has never been stronger, particularly given the rise in climate scepticism at home and abroad.
“I look forward to contributing to Scottish Conservative efforts in Parliament over the next 12 months and will continue to campaign for Scottish Conservative candidates in Tayside and beyond.”
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “I am grateful to Maurice for all of his hard work, having spent five years serving his constituents in West Scotland followed by a second term in the North East.
“His knowledge and commitment to tackling climate change is known and respected across politics and industry.”
Golden previously contradicted his party leadership and attacked Liz Truss’s “indefensible” tax cuts for the highest earners.
He had supported Rishi Sunak to win the Tory leadership race, and said that the former chancellor had been proven right to warn that Truss’s economic plans would result in a “run on the pound and a real risk for economic growth”.
Golden said his Tory bosses in London had put forward a budget for party members “rather than the whole of the United Kingdom”.
