What does the SNP exodus mean for the party’s 2026 line-up?

There is little over a year to go until the 2026 Holyrood election and Scottish party selection processes are underway. This morning, two of the biggest names yet have said they will stand down at next year’s election: Finance Secretary Shona Robison and Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop have announced they’re off. ‘The decision to retire is entirely personal and I do it for positive reasons,’ Hyslop insisted to reporters today. It is unlikely that will convince cynics who suggest the pair have jumped before they were pushed.

The duo joins a long list of nationalist politicians who have declared their intention to step away from next year. The tally is at 14 so far, and more announcements are expected to come. Both Robison and Hyslop have served in the Scottish parliament since its creation in 1999 and so, at the very least, have 27 years of experience under their belts.