Highlands Conservative MSP Edward Mountain to stand down in 2026 Scottish Parliament elections
Highland MSP Edward Mountain (63) has announced he will not be standing for re-election in 2026, saying that party political disputes and constitutional arguments are “holding Scotland back”.
The Scottish Conservatives MSP, who has represented the area since 2016, informed the party today that he won’t seek nomination ahead of the next Holyrood vote.
In a letter to Scottish Conservatives leader Russell Findlay, Mr Mountain said being an MSP had been a “true honour” and that he would “serve faithfully” until the end of the current term.
He wrote: “I have had the true honour to be in the Scottish Parliament for nearly nine years. It has been a huge privilege serving people across the Highlands and Islands. There have been many challenges and I have done my best to remain true to my beliefs and political values.
“Sadly, in this Parliament I have found that all too often, many good ideas are discounted and shelved by those more interested in promoting the political differences and arguments for independence. The result is that I constantly see good ideas, that could and would benefit Scotland, being thwarted. This is not only self-serving, but also holding Scotland back. The worst of it is that it does little to help the many people that look to the Parliament to make the real changes that would make their lives better.
“There is no doubt that my journey in politics has been enriched by some of the great activists that make our party what it is.
“In 1979 when I started campaigning for the Conservatives, it was for a very different party to the one we are in today. I have welcomed many of the changes, but not all of them. I also have been saddened by the behaviour of some politicians from across all the parties. They have left me, and I suspect much of the electorate, cold and have given politics and conviction politicians a bad name.
“So, looking forward to the elections in 2026 I wanted to tell you, so you have maximum time to find a candidate, that I do not wish to put myself forward as a candidate for the Scottish Conservatives in the Highlands and Islands. By that time, I will have spent over twenty-two years serving my country. I believe it is now time to turn my attention to my family who have often played 'second fiddle' to my aspirations as I focussed on doing my best to live up to the trust that had been placed in me.”
“My term in the Parliament has been a true honour. I will forever cherish this time as indeed will I the friendships I have made across all the parties. I remember being told that it is right politicians disagree but that of course it should never be personal, something I truly believe in.”
Mr Mountain, 63, is also convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee and was Convener of the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee from 2016-2021.
Prior to politics, he had a 12-year military career, worked as a chartered surveyor and runs a farm in the region.
