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.
, 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 regionTypePartywhen first electedStart year(as independent)End year(as independent)Notes Dennis Canavan Falkirk West Constituency Independent 1999 2007 Retired Dorothy-Grace Elder Glasgow Region Scottish National Party 2002 2003 Retired John Finnie Highlands and Islands Region Scottish National Party 2012John 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. 2016 Re-elected in 2016 for Greens Margo MacDonald Lothians Region Scottish National Party 2003 2011 Constituency abolished Lothian Region Independent 2011 2014 Died Derek Mackay Renfrewshire North and West Constituency Scottish National Party 2020 2021 Retired Campbell Martin West of Scotland Region Scottish National Party 2004 2007 Defeated Mark McDonald Aberdeen Donside Constituency Scottish National Party 2018 2021 Retired Brian Monteith Mid Scotland and Fife Region Conservative 2005 2007 Retired Jean Turner Strathkelvin and Bearsden Constituency Independent 2003 2007 Defeated Jean Urquhart Highlands and Islands Region Scottish National Party 2012Jean 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 2016 Retired Bill Walker Dunfermline Constituency Scottish National Party 2012 2013 Resigned John Wilson Central Scotland Region Scottish National Party 2014 2016 Defeated
Notes
References
External links Current and previous Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), on the Scottish Parliament website