Veteran SNP MSP to stand down in 2021

SNP MSP Sandra White has announced she plans to stand down from Holyrood at the election in May.

The Glasgow Kelvin MS P said representing the city she grew up in has been the “honour of my life” and pledged to continue dedicating time to local activism and the fight for Scottish independence.

Ms White, who was among those elected when the Scottish Parliament reconvened in 1999, said she had “no doubt that we will see independence for Scotland in my lifetime”.

First elected as a Glasgow regional member, she won her current seat in 2007, being reelected in 2011 and 2015.

Prior to becoming an MSP, she spent a decade as an SNP councillor on Renfrewshire Council. Ms White revealed her plans to stand down at next year’ s Scottish Parliament election in a statement to her constituency association.

She is the latest in a series of SNP MSPS to confirm they will not be standing for re-election and her announcement follows health secretary Jeane Freeman confirming on Monday plans to quit Holyrood in May.

Ms White said: “I have been involved in frontline politics for the majority of my life, spending over three decades as an elected representative. I first became involved to fight for social justice and equality for all. I would like to hope that my contribution over these many years has delivered an improvement to people’s lives both locally and further afield.

“It has been both a privilege and the honour of my life.”