Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced she will stand down at the next Scottish Parliament election, bringing an end to almost ten years of service to Highland communities.
The Cabinet Secretary for the Economy and Gaelic confirmed she will not seek re‑election in May 2026, telling her constituency association she wishes to step back from public life and focus on her young family.
“It has been a great honour to serve Highland communities for almost a decade,” she said.
“I am grateful to every voter who re‑elected me at the last election with the biggest majority in Scotland.
“I have also been privileged to serve in Government, first as Minister for Public Finance, then as Cabinet Secretary for Finance and most recently as Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic.”
Forbes said the decision followed a period of reflection during recess.
“All politicians face a choice at every election to stay on the same path or not,” she said.
“Quite simply, I’ve decided on the latter.
“I remain wholly supportive of the First Minister just as when I backed him to be leader of the SNP and I look forward to campaigning for the SNP at the next election to lead Scotland to independence.”
First elected in her mid‑twenties, Forbes quickly rose to prominence in Scottish politics, becoming the first woman to deliver a Scottish Budget and steering the country through the financial response to the Covid‑19 pandemic.
She also launched Scotland’s TechScaler programme, described as the nation’s most ambitious network for business start‑ups.
Forbes reflected on the sacrifices of public life, noting that she married, had a baby and raised a young family while serving as an MSP and minister.
“I have consistently put the public’s needs ahead of my family’s during that time,” she said.
“Looking ahead to the future, I do not want to miss any more of the precious early years of family life, which can never be rewound.”
She paid tribute to colleagues, party members and journalists, saying she would leave politics with “the highest respect” for all those who work to serve and hold power to account.
Forbes is expected to continue in her ministerial roles until the 2026 election.
