SNP's Michael Matheson, shamed over racking up £11k data roaming bill, says he's standing down from Holyrood
Shamed former health secretary Michael Matheson has become the latest SNP politician to quit Holyrood amid an exodus of nationalist MSPs.
The scandal hit politician joins Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf in announcing they will stand down as MSPs next spring.
He is the latest SNP MSP to announce they will not fight the next Scottish Parliament election, with around a third having so far confirmed they no longer wish to serve at Holyrood.
Mr Matheson had been health secretary but quit in disgrace after racking up almost £11,000 in iPad data roaming charges.
He had initially claimed the bill was down to him carrying out parliamentary duties, only to later say that his sons had been streaming football matches.
The long-serving MSP was suspended from the Scottish Parliament for 27 sitting days and had his wages docked for 54 days after running up £10,936 in charges during a holiday in Morocco.
Despite this, Mr Matheson had been approved by the SNP to stand again at the next election.
But last night he announced he would quit, and said: ‘I look forward to seeking new challenges outwith frontline politics.’
Former SNP Health Secretary Michael Matheson has announced he is standing down at the next Hoyrood elections
Michael Matheson ran up a £10,936 bill on his Scottish parliament iPad during a family holiday in Morocco after his sons watched football using a hotspot from his device
Rachel Hamilton, deputy leader at the Scottish Conservatives, said: ‘Michael Matheson has clearly recognised that continuing to be an MSP was untenable after resigning in disgrace as health secretary last year.
‘He becomes part of an ever-growing list of SNP MSPs to desert the party ahead of next year’s election.
‘Matheson’s tenure as health secretary will be remembered for scandal, dishonesty and failure.
‘The decision to stand down highlights John Swinney’s shocking lack of judgement in defending him to the hilt despite Matheson fleecing the taxpayer out of 11k for roaming charges.’
Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: ‘Another failed SNP Health Secretary is abandoning ship but our NHS is still stuck in crisis.
‘Michael Matheson will be best remembered for his scandal and lies, but his failure to rebuild our NHS should shame him too.
‘A Scottish Labour government will put an end to SNP sleaze and deliver a change in direction for our NHS.’
Out of the 62 current SNP MSPs, 21 have now announced they will not seek re-election next year.
Michael Matheson quit as the Holyrood Health Secretary last year after a row over his iPad roaming charges which he claimed had been blown out of proportion
Those set to depart include three members of John Swinney’s Cabinet - Finance Secretary Shona Robison, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.
Announcing his resignation on social media last night, Mr Matheson said he had informed his constituency association that he had ‘decided not to seek re-election to the Scottish Parliament next year’.
Mr Matheson, who has been in the Scottish Parliament since it was set up in 1999, said: ‘I want to offer my sincere thanks to my constituents for the support and encouragement they have given me over the last twenty-six years, it has been the privilege of my life to represent the people of Falkirk.
‘During my time in parliament, I was also honoured to serve in Government for 13 years across five different ministerial portfolios.
‘I will always be deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to serve in Government and to implement policy in justice, health, transport, and climate change that has made Scotland a better place for all.’
And, in his 350-word resignation statement, he vowed to ‘continue to serve my constituents to the best of my ability for the remainder of my term’ and added he ‘looked forward to seeking new challenges out with frontline politics’.
But in his post, Mr Matheson failed to mention the scandal which saw him quit high office in February 2024 amid intense political pressure for him to go.
He had tried to cling onto his £120,000-a-year ministerial role, but he was eventually doomed by a probe by the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body which found he breached the MSPs code of conduct.
He was given a record ban from the Scottish Parliament for breaching Holyrood’s expense policy.
Mr Matheson ran up the £10,936 bill on his Scottish parliament iPad during a family holiday in Morocco between December 28, 2022, and January 3, 2023.
He had initially claimed that the enormous bill was due to him carrying out parliamentary duties while abroad.
In a humiliating statement to parliament in November 2023, admitted that a majority of the bill had been racked up by his sons watching football using a hotspot from his parliamentary iPad.
He agreed to pay back the full cost of the roaming bill.
Last week former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who like Mr Matheson was first elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, announced that she would not seek re-election.
Her departure from Holyrood after nearly three decades brought to an end an extraordinary career which saw her become one of the most divisive figures in Scottish political history.
The Glasgow MSP said she ‘knew in my heart and my soul as well as my head that this is the moment for me to make this announcement’.
She added: ‘I’m looking forward to doing different things but I’ll continue to pursue causes that mean a lot to me.’
