Fergus Ewing to stand down as SNP MSP in 2026 as the Inverness and Nairn MSP says he ‘cannot defend the record of the SNP Government’ but leaves door open to run as an independent

Fergus Ewing will not stand for the SNP at next year’s Holyrood elections because he “simply cannot defend the record of the SNP government”.

The Inverness and Nairn MSP believes it is “a matter of honour” after promises “both I and my party have made at election after election” to dual the A9 and A96.

The bombshell announcement marks a major sea-change as Mr Ewing was decidedly a member of the “old SNP” who took the party from the fringe to government.

In his statement he did not mention the word ‘retire’ and left open the possibility that he could return to Holyrood by standing as an independent MSP.

Mr Ewing said if “significant progress” is not made on the dualling of both the A9 and A96 within the next 12 months, he may throw his hat in the ring for the 2026 election.

The announcement comes after a lengthy SNP vetting process, which he passed, amid rumours the party may deselect him due to his significant criticism.

He has been outspoken on failed policies like gender reform, the deposit return scheme, highly protected marine areas as well as dualling.

Mr Ewing said: “It is with great sadness that, after 26 years and six successful election campaigns, I shall not be submitting my name for nomination for the SNP for the Holyrood elections next year for Inverness and Nairn constituency.”

Without him on the SNP ticket, the Inverness and Nairn seat is now competitive as he won the last two elections comfortably with almost half the vote.

He becomes the 25th sitting SNP MSP to stand down, the equivalent of 40 per cent of all the party’s Holyrood members, including many like Mr Ewing elected in 1999.

The Liberal Democrats have long eyed the seat while it could see former SNP MP Drew Hendry make a swift return to frontline politics.

Mr Ewing said the main problem is the failure to “deliver on the long-standing pledges to dual the A9 and A96 - both so vital for my constituency.

“I have stood in every election on these pledges, and so, as a matter of honour, I simply cannot defend the lack of delivery.

“The key issue for me as a constituency MSP is delivery on the promises both I and my party have made at election after election.

“Therefore, unless substantial and significant progress is made before next March, on both dualled road projects, I may consider standing at the Holyrood elections next year as an independent candidate.”

He argued that the loss of trust in recent years is such that many people do not believe the SNP will deliver either dualling programme fully.

The Inverness-Perth section of A9 was supposed to be completed this year, but a new deadline of 2035 has been set. The original plan for the Inverness-Aberdeen A96 dualling was to have that complete by 2030.

Mr Ewing said: “Some in my patch say to me, that if the current SNP leadership can ditch the A96 pledge before the election next year, what is to stop them ditching the A9 pledge after it? Or instead, perhaps axe those sections at the northern ends of either project - which just happen to be in the Highlands.”

But Mr Ewing - whose mother Winnie was a leading light in the party and whose sister Annabelle is also an MSP - will not resign from the SNP and remains convinced of Scottish independence saying: “Independence is a cause unwon, but it is not a lost cause.

“I honour my own party membership, which I was born into and which is part of my very soul. That is why I am remaining in the party which I have served for these five decades.”

But in a biting aside he seems to compare his situation with Geoffrey Howe’s in Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet just before her fall in 1994.

Mr Ewing echoed Mr Howe’s resignation speech, in saying: “I have wrestled with my conscience for perhaps too long.”

He also acknowledged that his announcement may not be taken well in all parts of the SNP, adding: “If any still loyal SNP members are disappointed by this announcement, I am truly sorry for that. But sadly, the SNP just is no longer the party for all of Scotland, as it has been for most of my 50 years as a member: the national party.

“Instead, it has chosen over the past four years to self-destruct, with its damaging deal with the Greens, its obsession over gender recognition, the ill-fated deposit return scheme, and by turning its back on our hard-working oil and gas workers, our thousands of accommodation providers, tourism enterprises, our food and drink producers, farmers, keepers and land managers, and our fishermen and coastal communities.”

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