SNP’s Philippa Whitford announces she will stand down at next election

The SNP’s Dr Philippa Whitford has announced she is stepping down at the next general election, becoming the party’s eighth MP to do so.

The Central Ayrshire MP, who has been at Westminster for eight years, has said she will not contest her seat.

It comes after seven other SNP MPs, including the party’s deputy Westminster leader Mhairi Black, made similar announcements.

Separately, Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil is currently sitting as an independent after being suspended from the SNP Westminster group and refusing to immediately rejoin. He had reportedly clashed with the chief whip.

Dr Whitford is the group’s spokeswoman for Scotland and before entering Westminster she worked as a breast cancer surgeon.

In a statement posted on social media, she said: “It has been an honour to serve as the MP for the people of Central Ayrshire for the last eight years and to have been their choice in three elections.

“However, I will not be seeking re-election at the next Westminster election.

“At the time of that election, I will have been an MP for nine years and, including my time as an NHS surgeon, spent 42 years in working in public service.”

She continued: “Working as an MP at Westminster has changed over the last eight years, especially after Boris Johnson became Prime Minister and aggression and contempt towards SNP MPs, and indeed Scotland, became the norm.

“While he has gone, his toxic legacy remains and on, time will tell if this changes after the next election.”

Dr Whitford said she would stay active in the party and pledged to continue campaigning for Scottish independence.

She also thanked her SNP colleagues for their “camaraderie and friendship over the last eight years”.