Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes will stand down at next year's Holyrood election. The Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP, whose daughter turned three this month, said in a statement she did not want to "seek re-election and miss any more of the precious early years of family life".

Looking ahead to the future, I do not want to miss any more of the precious early years of family life – which can never be rewound.’

Kate Forbes has announced she will quit the Scottish Parliament next year instead of seeking re-election. The MSP for Skye and Lochaber was appointed Deputy First Minister by John Swinney last year and was viewed by many in the SNP as a future leader of the party.

Christian MSP and Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Kate Forbes, has announced that she will not be seeking re-election next year. Forbes said that she did not want to "miss any more of the precious early years of family life" with her young daughter.

The Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP, whose daughter turned three this month, does not plan to seek re-election.

Ex-Scottish National Party leadership contender Kate Forbes has been accused of "abandoning the stage" by confirming her decision to stand down at next year's Holyrood election. Forbes, who serves as John Swinney's Deputy First Minister and represents Skye,

The departure of Forbes — one of the Scottish National party ’s star performers and a former finance secretary — is a blow to first minister John Swinney as he seeks another term for the pro-independence party,