Latest news with #Boyack
STV News
a day ago
- Politics
- STV News
Long-serving MSP Sarah Boyack prepares to stand down
Long-serving MSP Sarah Boyack has announced she will step down from Holyrood at the election next May. Ms Boyack said it has been 'the honour of my life' to serve as an MSP, but will not stand again in 2026. She was elected in the first Scottish Parliament election in 1999 and was MSP for Edinburgh Central until 2011. Ms Boyack was MSP for the Lothian region from 2011 to 2016 and then left parliament after failing to be re-elected, but returned in 2019. The MSP, who was transport minister in Donald Dewar's first cabinet, announced her intentions in the Edinburgh Evening News on Monday. She said: 'It has been the honour of my life to serve as an MSP in the Scottish Parliament. 'I am proud of what I have achieved, both in my time in government and in my local campaigns for issues that matter to my constituents. 'It is great to see progress being made on issues such as a new Eye Pavilion for Edinburgh, funding for the King's Theatre and the Filmhouse, but not least on my Member's Bill to ensure a more sustainable future for all of Scotland. 'I will also continue to support causes close to my heart from Edinburgh's housing crisis to the battle to ensure we remain one of the cultural capitals of the world. 'Although I am not standing again, I will work tirelessly in the election to achieve a Scottish Labour victory in 2026. 'I have loved my time representing this amazing community and I hope to see Anas Sarwar as First Minister champion these causes and more to achieve a more prosperous, sustainable and just Scotland.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack to stand down next year
Ms Boyack then left the parliament in 2016 after failing to get re-elected. However, she returned in 2019 to take former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale's seat covering the Lothian region after she quit Holyrood. Ms Boyack is currently her party's spokesperson on net zero. READ MORE: John Swinney: Public sector status quo 'not sufficient' Unite says 1600 Scots jobs at risk if government doesn't act The MSP has said it has been the 'honour of my life' to serve as an MSP. Announcing her resignation, Ms Boyack said: 'It has been the honour of my life to serve as an MSP in the Scottish Parliament. 'I am proud of what I have achieved, both in my time in government and in my local campaigns for issues that matter to my constituents. 'I will also continue to support causes close to my heart from Edinburgh's housing crisis to the battle to ensure we remain one of the cultural capitals of the world.' There are now more than 30 MSPs currently sitting in Holyrood who have so far announced they will not stand in next year's election in May. Those not standing for the Scottish Parliament next year include former First Ministers Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon.
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Labour MSP Sarah Boyack to stand down at Holyrood 2026
The MSP for Lothian was first elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 and was a member of Donald Dewar's first cabinet. Boyack left parliament in 2016 after failing to get re-elected, but returned in 2019 as she took former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale's seat after she quit Holyrood. READ MORE: Gillian Martin clashes with BBC Scotland host over Scottish independence 'It has been the honour of my life to serve as an MSP in the Scottish Parliament,' Boyack told Holyrood. She added: 'I am proud of what I have achieved, both in my time in government and in my local campaigns for issues that matter to my constituents. 'I will also continue to support causes close to my heart, from Edinburgh's housing crisis to the battle to ensure we remain one of the cultural capitals of the world.' More than 30 MSPs have so far signalled their intention not to contest next year's election. Boyack joins her fellow Labour colleagues Alex Rowley and former leader Richard Leonard, who have announced they are not seeking reelection next year.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Long-serving Edinburgh and Lothian MSP Sarah Boyack to stand down at 2026 Scottish Parliament elections
Long-serving Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has announced she will not be standing at next year's Holyrood elections. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... One of the original members of the new Scottish Parliament elected in 1999, she was made Minister for Transport and Environment in the first Scottish Cabinet She was MP for Edinburgh Central from 1999 until 2011 and then a Lothian list MSP from 2011 until 2016. Lothian MSP and Scottish Labour politician Sarah Boyack Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And although she lost her seat at the 2016 election, she returned to the parliament three years later, again as a Lothian list MSP, after Kezia Dugdale stood down. And she was re-elected in 2021. Announcing her decision to step down, Ms Boyack said it had been 'the honour of my life' to serve as an MSP for almost 25 years. And she pledged that, although she would not be a candidate, she would work tirelessly for a Labour victory next year. Before politics, Ms Boyack worked as a town planner and then became a lecturer at Heriot-Watt University. But politics and devolution were in her blood - her father Jim Boyack was prominent in the Labour Party and a leading figure in the Campaign for a Scottish Assembly. Looking back last year on 25 years of the parliament, she told the Evening News she had never harboured ambitions for high office when she stood as candidate in Edinburgh Central in 1999. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "The ambition for me was getting elected and I was thinking maybe I could be on a committee on a topic I care about, so to go in and become a Cabinet Secretary was unexpected and very exciting." Ms Boyack is the only current MSP who served in Donald Dewar's first Cabinet. In her role, in charge of transport, environment and planning, she was responsible for passing some of the Scottish Parliament's early landmark legislation, including free bus passes for the over 60s and the establishment of Scotland's first national parks. She continued in the role under new First Minister Henry McLeish after Donald Dewar's death, but she was not reappointed to the Cabinet when Jack McConnell took over in 2001. In 2003, she became convener of the Scottish Parliament's environment and rural development committee before returning to government in 2007 as Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Following Labour's heavy defeat in the 2011 Holyrood election, she co-chaired a review along with Jim Murphy of the Labour party in Scotland. And in 2014 she stood for the Scottish party leadership, finishing third in a race with Jim Murphy and Neil Findlay. Since returning to the parliament in 2019, she has served in multiple roles on the Labour front bench, most recently as spokesperson for Net Zero, Energy and Just Transition. And she also launched a member's bill to establish a Future Generations Commissioner for Scotland that is currently making its way through parliament. Ms Boyack said: 'It has been the honour of my life to serve as an MSP in the Scottish Parliament. I am proud of what I have achieved, both in my time in government and in my local campaigns for issues that matter to my constituents. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is great to see progress being made on issues such as a new eye pavilion for Edinburgh, funding for the King's Theatre and the Filmhouse, but not least on my Member's Bill to ensure a more sustainable future for all of Scotland. 'I will also continue to support causes close to my heart from Edinburgh's housing crisis to the battle to ensure we remain one of the cultural capitals of the world. 'Although I am not standing again, I will work tirelessly in the election to achieve a Scottish Labour victory in 2026. 'I have loved my time representing this amazing community and I hope to see Anas Sarwar as First Minister champion these causes and more to achieve a more prosperous, sustainable and just Scotland.'
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
'Honour of my life': Edinburgh and Lothian MSP Sarah Boyack to stand down from Scottish Parliament
Holyrood will lose another long-term servant in Lothian and Edinburgh MSP Sarah Boyack. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The long-serving Edinburgh and Lothian MSP Sarah Boyack has announced she will be standing down at next year's Holyrood election after almost 25 years in the Scottish Parliament. Ms Boyack was first elected in 1999 in the inaugural Holyrood elections for the Edinburgh Central constituency. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Labour's Sarah Boyack She was part of former first minister Donald Dewer's first cabinet, taking on the role of transport and environment minister. In the role, Ms Boyack was responsible for passing some of the Scottish Parliament's early landmark legislation, including free bus passes for the over-60s and the establishment of Scotland's first national parks. She said: 'It has been the honour of my life to serve as an MSP in the Scottish Parliament. I am proud of what I have achieved, both in my time in government and in my local campaigns for issues that matter to my constituents. 'It is great to see progress being made on issues such as a new Eye Pavilion for Edinburgh, funding for the King's Theatre and the Filmhouse, but not least on my Member's Bill to ensure a more sustainable future for all of Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I will also continue to support causes close to my heart from Edinburgh's housing crisis to the battle to ensure we remain one of the cultural capitals of the world. Although I am not standing again, I will work tirelessly in the election to achieve a Scottish Labour victory in 2026. 'I have loved my time representing this amazing community and I hope to see Anas Sarwar as first minister champion these causes and more to achieve a more prosperous, sustainable and just Scotland.' Boyack's time in Parliament After leaving government in 2001, Ms Boyack continued to campaign for causes across Edinburgh. Ms Boyack left Parliament in 2016 after failing to be re-elected, but returned in 2019 as a list MSP for the Lothian region following the mid-term resignation of Kezia Dugdale. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale provoked a storm when she went into the jungle for season 17, broadcast in 2017, as the Scottish Parliament was in session while the show was being filmed. The Aberdonian politician was the second person to be ejected, coming 10th in the series won by 'Made in Chelsea' star Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo. | Getty Images Since then, she has served multiple roles on the Scottish Labour front bench, most recently as spokesperson for net zero, energy and the just transition. She also launched a member's Bill to establish a Future Generations Commissioner for Scotland that is making its way through Parliament. Ms Boyack joins a growing number of MSPs to confirm they are standing down at the next election. Others standing down in 2026 The most significant resignation announcements have come from former first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Sturgeon spoke in March of her 'sense of relief' as she announced she would not stand again for the Scottish Parliament next year. She led the Scottish Government between 2014 and 2023 and has been an MSP since the dawn of devolution, representing Glasgow Southside since 2007. First elected as the MSP for Glasgow in 2011, Mr Yousaf has represented Glasgow Pollock since 2016. He said he hoped resigning as an MSP would 'provide an opportunity for the next generation of MSPs to step forward, and to explore where I can best make a contribution in the future, in helping to tackle some of the most pressing challenges our world faces'.
