Douglas Ross to resign from Holyrood - so he can stand again for Westminster

Former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross is to resign from Holyrood - in the hopes of being re-elected to Westminster.

Mr Ross said he would stand down as an MSP for the Highlands and Islands at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, as he wants to stand as a candidate in the next general election.

The next general election is due to be held no later than August 2029.

Former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross | Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

In a statement Mr Ross said: “In the general election last year, I said I would stand down as an MSP if elected. As I hope to stand for Westminster again at the next general election, I believe it is right that I don’t seek election to Holyrood in 2026.

“I will however work flat out to support Russell Findlay and the team to return as many Scottish Conservative MSPs as possible next May.”

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Mr Ross has been an MSP since 2016. However, for most of his Holyrood career, he has been juggling being an MSP and an MP at the same time.

He was elected to the Moray seat at Westminster in 2017, winning the seat off incumbent Culture Secretary Angus Robertson. Mr Ross was then re-elected in 2019.

Mr Ross became the leader of the Scottish Conservatives in 2020, one year before winning his Holyrood seat, and came under criticism for holding multiple jobs at once. Mr Ross donated his MSP salary to charity while he held both jobs.

At last year’s general election, he had initially said he would be standing down to concentrate on his job in Holyrood.

However, at the 11th hour he replaced David Duguid as the candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East. Mr Duguid was receiving hospital treatment at the time and the party de-selected him as they deemed him too unwell to stand.

Mr Ross lost the seat to the SNP’s Seamus Logan, and he was forced to resign as party leader over it. He was replaced by Mr Findlay.

Former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross | Getty Images

He said: “A year out from the Scottish Parliament election feels like the right time to confirm that I will not be a candidate for Holyrood next year.

“Local constituency work has always been the most rewarding part of this job for me, and for the last 18 years I’ve had the enormous honour of representing my home area as a councillor, an MP and an MSP.”

Mr Ross added: “Over the next year I also look forward to continuing to raise local issues on behalf of constituents in Parliament, maintaining the approach I’ve taken as convener of the education committee, and steering the Right to Addiction Recovery Bill through Parliament, which would be a game-changing piece of legislation to tackle Scotland’s appalling drug and alcohol death rates.

“While I will remain an active MSP until the election, I feel now is an appropriate time to thank the staff who have worked with me for many years, assisting thousands of constituents during this time, [and] also the many activists who have helped me in countless campaigns and the colleagues I have been elected alongside, who all want the best for their area and constituents.

“Finally, I would not have been able to do this job without the support of my family, including my incredible wife Krystle, and our two amazing boys Alistair and James. I will forever be in their debt.”