North MSP to bow out at next election
David Stewart MSP will celebrate his 65th birthday the day before the next Holyrood Election
Highland Labour MSP David Stewart is to retire at the next Scottish Parliament election at the age of 65.
With a lengthy career, the former Inverness High pupil started his time in politics after moving to Dumfries back in 1984, winning a council seat in Nithsdale. Mr Stewart is one of a small group of Scottish politicians to have served as a councillor, an MP and an MSP.
When he moved back to Inverness as a social worker, he became a Labour Councillor for Inverness District Council’s Park Ward from 1988 to 1996, going on to be the area’s first Labour MP in 1997 when Tony Blair became Prime Minister.
After losing the seat to Danny Alexander, he re-entered politics in 2007 as a north Labour MSP on the regional list, and has since been elected a further two terms.
Speaking to MFR News, David said: “It’s been a privilege to serve Inverness and the Highlands and Islands throughout my career but it’s time to move over for new blood.”
"You do see a lot of injustices - and although at times you may be unpopular with others, or even your own party - you must fight for your constituents. They are the ones who put you there after all"
"I was reading something about Muhammed Ali recently who said "All Great Fighters Have Another Fight In Them" - now I'm certainly not comparing myself to him - but I feel that I've more campaigning to do, just perhaps not from elected office(!)"
The MSP is best known for his campaigning work on road safety, initially becoming involved in fighting for a Graduated Driving Licence for young drivers after the death of two 17-year-olds in a tragic accident in Inverness in 2010.
In 2018, after an eight-year campaign and cross-party support from the Scottish Parliament, he was delighted when the UK Government finally decided to pilot Graduated Driving Licences.
He has represented Scotland twice as a Scottish Diabetes Champion and continues to support improvements for diabetics as part of this role as Scottish Labour’s Shadow Public Health Minister.
As a Westminster MP, he fought and won the campaign to have Inverness recognised as a city – in 2000 it was one of six created to mark the new millennium.
David said, "I know a number of older and wiser heads who thought I was being way too ambitious back then - telling me Inverness wasn't big enough, it's not sophisticated enough"
Mr Stewart is a long-time Inverness Caley Thistle fan, chairman of charity, the Inverness Caley Thistle Trust. He is also a director of the Scottish Cot Death Trust - Mr Stewart and his wife Linda lost their youngest son, eight-month-old Liam, to cot death in 1991 and were supported by the trust.