Humza Yousaf pays tribute as Michael Russell steps down as SNP president

The First Minister said Mike Russell was ‘a true stalwart’ of the SNP party

Humza Yousaf has paid tribute to Michael Russell after the latter tendered his resignation as SNP president.

The First Minister said Mr Russell, a former minister and long-serving MSP, was “a true stalwart of the SNP and the wider independence movement”.

Mr Russell is leaving to become the new chair of the Scottish Land Commission, subject to the approval of the Scottish Parliament.

Michael Russell

Mr Yousaf said: “On behalf of the SNP, I’d like to give my heartfelt thanks to Michael for his outstanding contribution to the party over almost five decades – a true stalwart of the SNP and the wider independence movement.

“Michael has been a member of our party since before I was born and, throughout all the highs and lows of that period, he has served the SNP in almost every conceivable way – as an party activist, as chief executive, as a politician and as our party president.

“He’s a deeply respected and much-loved figure in our party – and rightly so – and has always been there to provide support and guidance to me personally and to many others whenever it has been needed, helping our party to remain anchored to our core values.

“The party owes Michael a great debt of gratitude and I wish him all the very best as he seeks to begin a new and very important role in Scottish life, in an area of work which he has long supported. ”

Mr Russell was elected SNP president in November 2020, and also served as the party’s acting chief executive for a short period earlier this year following the resignation of Peter Murrell. He held the role when the latter was sensationally arrested – and later released without charge – as part of the ongoing police investigation into the SNP’s finances.

Mr Russell joined the SNP in 1974 and first stood for election in Clydesdale in 1987. He became the first full-time chief executive of the party in December 1994, holding that post until he was elected to the Scottish Parliament as a list MSP for South of Scotland in May 1999.

He lost his seat in 2003, but returned to serve the same region from 2007 to 2011 before he was elected as the MSP for the Argyll and Bute constituency, a position he held until retiring in 2021.

During this time, Mr Russell also served in the Scottish Government, initially as environment minister and later holding the posts of education secretary and Scottish Brexit minister. He was latterly the Cabinet secretary for the constitution, Europe and external affairs.

The Scottish Land Commission, which aims to review existing laws and policies and make recommendations on future land reform, was established in 2017 after the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 came into force. The Scottish Parliament has the final decision on who will be appointed chair.