Long-serving politicians talk candidly about toxic culture blocking any real change at Holyrood

A toxic culture at Holyrood is blocking meaningful change and forcing talented young politicians to quit early, MSPs warn today.

In a series of interviews with some of the parliament’s most experienced members, party grandees point the finger at their own leadership and warn failing to act could see fed up voters turn away from the mainstream.

The Sunday Post has also learned one cabinet minister stepping down at next year’s Scottish Parliament election is doing so after telling colleagues they have been “burnt out” by politics at Holyrood.

They are one of a 30-strong list of MSPs who have announced they will quit.

It includes former first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, Finance Secretary Shona Robison, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon and former Health Secretary Michael Matheson.

© Andrew Cawley

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alex Rowley is another stepping down. He is leaving after 11 years for health reasons.

Rowley, a former deputy leader of Scottish Labour, said he has been disappointed watching so many capable young politicians – particularly women – announce they will not seek re-election next year.

Failing to fix real problems

He said many are leaving because the parliament has “failed” to address the issues that really impact people’s lives.

Rowley said: “I campaigned for the Scottish Parliament and believed it would be the best place to tackle some of the day-to-day issues, like housing.

“But we’re not really trying to deal with them. The parliament, and all parties are guilty of this, you just feel that it’s more about political point scoring.

“I’ve been there for 11 years and you just ask yourself what have we changed?

“I think that’s why we’re seeing so many younger people go who are more than capable. You get to the point where you have to ask if that’s really how you want to spend your life, in that kind of toxic environment.”

© Kenny Smith

The Scottish Parliament was designed so parties would work together more collaboratively than their counterparts at Westminster but Rowley believes that has not worked.

He points the finger directly at Holyrood’s political leaders, who he believes are more interested in attacking each other than working on long-term plans to tackle Scotland’s toughest social issues.

His daughter, Danielle, was the MP for Midlothian from 2017 to 2019. Rowley says he recently tried to dissuade her from seeking election to Holyrood next year.

He said: “The response I gave her is why on earth would you do that when you can have a career out of politics. You have a young child, why would you put yourself through that?”

Grappling with sacrifices

Concerns have been raised in the past about work-life balance at Holyrood.

Children’s minister Natalie Don-Innes, who is considered a rising star in the SNP, announced she will stand down next year after grappling with the “sacrifices that being an elected member and a mother brings”.

Her party colleague Fergus Ewing, an outspoken backbencher and former cabinet minister, said he was surprised to see her go but can understand why people are making the decision to leave.

He announced this week he will not run for the SNP in 2026 but may stand as an independent.

Ewing has been critical of his own party for focusing on social issues while “vital” infrastructure projects, such as dualling the A9 and A96 roads, go unfinished.

He warned an exodus of talented MSPs and growing discontent at the job being done by those left behind, could provide the perfect environment for Reform to win seats from established Holyrood parties.

“I think we’ve got system failure in Scotland, it’s as simple as that,” Ewing said.
“We have gigantic bureaucracy that has become so big that no one can really do anything.

“The other problem is cowardice. To reform public services, you need to take on the establishment. I think the current administration has become the establishment, a whole load of people reliant on each other for their jobs, salaries and perks.

“One worry is that this is perfect fertile ground for incubating a big Reform vote because in many way they are an anti-political party.

“The trouble is that there is an increasing amount of merit in the argument that the system does need radical reform.”