Robison yet to decide on bid for Scottish Parliament seat in 2026

The SNP’s Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said she is yet to make up her mind on whether she will run to be an MSP again in 2026.

Ms Robison, who represents Dundee East, said she has “decisions to make” but is enjoying her current role in the government.

A number of other SNP MSPs are expected to step down at the next election, with former first minister Humza Yousaf and business minister Richard Lochhead confirming they will not run again.

Ms Robison spoke to journalists at Holyrood, after the Government reached agreements with the Scottish Greens and Lib Dems for the smaller parties to back the Budget.

She told journalists: “Clearly, everybody is making their minds up about what their future holds. I know there’s been speculation…

“If I say yes, or if I say no, I’m not leaving myself the scope to make some final decisions.

“What I can say is I’m really enjoying the job.

Pressed on whether she would join Mr Yousaf in standing down, she said: “I’m genuinely saying I’ve got decisions to make”.

Ms Robison has been an MSP since the devolution era began in 1999 and has held a number of ministerial roles since the SNP came to power in 2007.

Discussing the Budget deals, she said the spending plans were improved by the input of the Lib Dems and Greens.

She said: “The areas that we’ve agreed are actually priorities for the SNP and the Scottish Government as well.

“There’s nothing we would disagree with, we’ve not been forced into any of the areas, they’re areas we’re happy to support.

“And they do make the Budget a better Budget.”

She said the talks had been constructive with neither of the smaller parties “coming in with a bang on the table”.

The Finance Secretary said the Government had sought to build trust with the other parties even after Scottish Labour announced it would abstain on the Budget.