SNP MSP for Dundee City East, Shona Robison, has posted to X this morning with the caption "I have some personal news this morning".
Ms Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, has decided not to seek re-election.
Ms Robison's letter in full:
SHONA ROBISON
DUNDEE CITY EAST CONSTITUENCY
It has been a great privilege to serve as an SNP MSP since the Scottish Parliament was first reconvened in 1999, and as a Minister and Cabinet Secretary in SNP governments since 2007.
After careful consideration and reflection, I have decided that I will not seek re-election at the Scottish Parliament election next year. By the time of the next election, I will have been an MSP for 27 years, and I believe now is the right time for me to take on some new challenges and contribute to public life in a different way.
I am deeply proud of my ministerial contributions and achievements - overseeing Glasgow's Commonwealth Games in 2014, implementing Minimum Unit Pricing, a world-leading policy that has saved hundreds of lives, and delivering a more than doubling of the 'game-changing' Scottish Child Payment, as part of our journey to eradicate child poverty in Scotland.
And I am particularly proud of steering the Scottish Budget through Parliament earlier this year. It is a budget for Scotland that delivers record funding for our NHS and local Councils, action to effectively scrap the cruel two-child cap, and restores a universal winter heating payment for every pensioner household.
However, the best moments over my time at Holyrood have come from representing and supporting my constituents. I will forever be grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to serve them over the many years I have represented the city.
From the scrapping of the Tay Bridge tolls back in 2007, to creating over 1,000 jobs at Social Security Scotland's Dundee headquarters, to delivering the Dundee Waterfront transformation, with V&A Dundee at its heart, and securing hundreds of jobs for Dundee at the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc, I'm proud of the progress that we have made in the city.
Most of all, I want to thank my constituents, who have given me the opportunity to be their representative and speak up for them and our city.
None of this would have been possible without the support of my family, local SNP members, my constituency team, and the many colleagues whose support I have been able to rely on.
Be in no doubt that although I will no longer serve in Parliament, I will continue to campaign for and support the SNP, alongside my lifelong goal of delivering independence for Scotland.
Shona Robison MSP
https://twitter.com/ShonaRobison/status/1897195557317488671
