Communities minister quits Holyrood over struggle to balance her family life
Scotland’s communities minister, Aileen Campbell, has announced she is to quit Holyrood, over a struggle to balance the role with family life.
Ms Campbell, who has two sons, admits the job has been “demanding in terms of pressure and time”, which has prompted her to stand down at next year’s Holyrood election.
She is the second senior female MSP to quit Holyrood amid concerns over the impact on their family life after Highland MSP Gail Ross said she would be quitting for similar reasons.
“My husband and I are very fortunate – we have managed to find ways for me to do my job and have a family at the same time, with Fraser taking on most of the day-to-day parenting,” Ms Campbell said.
“But there is no getting away from the fact that the job – while immensely rewarding – is demanding in terms of pressure and time. I hope in future I can spend a little more time with my boys at home.
“So, after much consideration, now feels like a good time to prepare myself for taking a step back from frontline party politics and government.
“Once I stand down, I look forward to new challenges and, I hope, a better work-life balance but until then I will continue to work tirelessly for my constituents and I will be pleased to continue serving in the Cabinet for as long as the First Minister wants me to.
“My support for the SNP and independence is as strong as ever and I look forward to continuing to campaign for Scotland to secure its independence in the not-too-distant future.”
Ms Campbell, the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, became an MSP for South Scotland in 2007.
She initially represented the South Scotland region but went on to win the Clydesdale constituency from Labour’s Karen Gillon in the SNP landslide of 2011.
Ms Campbell becomes the seventh SNP MSP to announce plans to step down after a party edict for parliamentarians to state their intentions ahead of next year’s election.
She is the second minister to do so, alongside Scottish Brexit Secretary Mike Russell.
Ms Ross also said that online abuse had contributed to her decision.
She said: “I do think most of the female MSPS get abuse online.
“Women are treated differently to men and made the targets of more personal attacks. The feedback I have had from other female politicians is that I am not alone.”
The MSP said she had been forced to carry two different personal alarms following advice from police on abuse she suffered online.