List of independent members of the Scottish Parliament

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This is a list of independent MSPs. It includes all members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) who sat as independent politicians in the Scottish Parliament.

Contents

As of May 2021, only three people have ever been elected to the Scottish Parliament as independent candidates. Dennis Canavan and Jean Turner were independents throughout their time in the Parliament. Margo MacDonald was elected in 1999 as a Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate, but sat as an independent after her expulsion in early 2003, and was re-elected three times as an independent candidate.

The other nine MSPs who sat as independents did so after leaving the party for which they had been elected. Some resigned from their party, and others were suspended or expelled. Margo MacDonald was the only former party MSP to win re-election as an independent, but John Finnie was re-elected in 2016 as a Scottish Greens candidate.

List of MSPs

NameConstituency or regionTypeParty
when first elected		Start year
(as independent)		End year
(as independent)		Notes
Dennis Canavan [1] Falkirk West Constituency Independent 1999 2007 Retired
Dorothy-Grace Elder [2] Glasgow Region Scottish National Party 2002 2003 Retired
John Finnie [3] Highlands and Islands Region Scottish National Party 2012 [note 1] 2016 Re-elected in 2016 for Greens
Margo MacDonald [4] Lothians Region Scottish National Party 2003 2011 Constituency abolished
Lothian Region Independent 2011 2014Died
Derek Mackay [5] Renfrewshire North and West Constituency Scottish National Party 2020 2021 Retired
Campbell Martin [6] West of Scotland Region Scottish National Party 2004 2007 Defeated
Mark McDonald [7] Aberdeen Donside Constituency Scottish National Party 2018 2021 Retired
Brian Monteith [8] Mid Scotland and Fife Region Conservative 2005 2007 Retired
Jean Turner [9] Strathkelvin and Bearsden Constituency Independent 2003 2007 Defeated
Jean Urquhart [10] Highlands and Islands Region Scottish National Party 2012 [note 2] 2016 Retired
Bill Walker [11] Dunfermline Constituency Scottish National Party 2012 2013 Resigned
John Wilson [12] Central Scotland Region Scottish National Party 2014 2016 Defeated

Notes

  1. ↑ John Finnie was elected at the 2011 Scottish Parliament election as a Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate. He resigned from the SNP on 23 October 2012, and sat as an independent MSP until the 2016 election. He joined the Scottish Greens in 2014, but did not join Green group of MSPs until he was re-elected in 2016 a Green candidate.
  2. ↑ Jean Urquhart was elected at the 2011 Scottish Parliament election as a Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate. She resigned from the SNP on 23 October 2012, and sat as an independent MSP until she retired at the * 2016 election

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References

  1. ↑ "Dennis Canavan". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "Dorothy-Grace Elder". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  3. ↑ "John Finnie". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  4. ↑ "Margo MacDonald". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  5. ↑ "Derek Mackay". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  6. ↑ "Campbell Martin". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  7. ↑ "Mark McDonald". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  8. ↑ "Brian Monteith". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  9. ↑ "Jean Turner". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  10. ↑ "Jean Urquhart". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  11. ↑ "Bill Walker". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "John Wilson". Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Scottish Parliament . Retrieved 17 May 2021.
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