A FORMER government minister is the latest SNP MSP to reveal he will be standing down from Holyrood ahead of next May’s elections.
Alex Neil, who was first elected in 1999 and served in the Cabinet under both First Ministers Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, made the announcement yesterday morning.
“I can announce that I will not be seeking re-selection for the next ScotParl election. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to have been an MSP for the last 21 years, especially since I became the MSP for Airdrie and Shotts in 2011,” he said on Twitter.
Keith Brown, the SNP’s deputy leader, responded: “Sad to hear this Alex. Huge amount of experience being lost to the Parliament in May. Your various roles in government are a proud legacy, as is your service to your constituents. A retirement well earned.”
Neil joins a list of SNP MSPs who have revealed they will not be fighting the 2021 election.
They include Michael Russell, Roseanna Cunningham, Bruce Crawford, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, Richard Lyle and Gail Ross.
Neil’s career in government has included positions as health secretary, social justice secretary and infrastructure secretary. In May 2014 he survived a vote of no confidence following a row over changes to mental health services after taking up his role as health secretary.
A Eurosceptic, he voted for Brexit in the 2016 referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU and is the only SNP MSP to publicly admit doing so. However, he backs an independent Scotland being a member of the European Economic Area.
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