By Richard Wood
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes is stepping down as an MSP at the next Scottish Parliamentary election.
Her upcoming departure marks a record number of MSPs standing down at any Holyrood election.
The announcement came as a shock to much of the Scottish political scene after she contested the 2023 SNP leadership election and secured Scotland’s second top job under First Minister John Swinney last year.
In a letter to the FM on 4 August 2025, the DFM said she does not wish to “miss any more of the precious early years of family life.
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How many MSPs have stood down at each election?
So far, the total for 2026 is 35 MSPs (as of 8 July 2025). This beats the previous high of 34 in 2021, which included former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson.
And back in 2016, there were 25 MSPs who stood down (23 who retired and 2 who were deselected by their parties). Among the retirees at this election were former First Minister Alex Salmond, former Scottish Conservative leader Annabelle Goldie and the Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick.
A similar number stepped down at the election before. Among the 20 who retired in 2011 were former Deputy First Minister Nichol Stephen and former Scottish Green co-convenor.
Just 13 MSPs retired in 2007 including independent MSP Dennis Canavan and former Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace.
And in 2003, there were 10 MSPs who stepped down including our shortest-serving First Minister Henry McLeish and Westminster’s 1967 Hamilton by-election winner, the SNP’s Winnie Ewing.
Each year the number has gone up:
2026 – 35
2021 – 34
2016 – 25
2011 – 20
2007 – 13
2003 – 10
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IMAGE: Via Scottish Government (lisence)
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