Joe FitzPatrick to stand down as Dundee MSP

Dundee MSP Joe FitzPatrick will not stand for re-election in next year's Scottish Parliament elections after representing the city for 19 years.

FitzPatrick won his seat in 2007 and went on to serve on the Holyrood finance committee and as convener of the local government and regeneration committee.

He became the minister for parliamentary business in 2012 and in 2018 he was appointed minister for public health, sport and wellbeing.

However, he lost his job as public health minister in 2020 after Scotland recorded its highest ever number of drug deaths. At the time, former first minister Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to his "hard work, dedication and sincerity."

FitzPatrick later served as minister for local government empowerment from 2023 to 2024.

Before he became the MSP for Dundee West, FitzPatrick served on Dundee City Council, representing Longhaugh for eight years.

He said it was a "tremendous honour" to represent people in the city and increase his vote share in each election.

"I never for a moment expected that I would have the privilege of representing Dundee over the course of four successive parliaments," he said.

"The transformation of Dundee over the past 27 years has been nothing short of remarkable. There is now a real confidence amongst Dundonians about the city's progress and its future that just wasn't really there before."

He said he was proud of his role in delivering the independence referendum in 2014 and that Dundee supported the Yes vote.

FiztPatrick added: "After 19 years as an MSP, I feel that now is the right time for me to step down and give someone else the opportunity to stand as the local SNP candidate, so that they can take forward our strong record of delivering for Dundee.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank my constituency team and the wider SNP family who have supported me in everything I have done over the years."