In just eight months, Scots will be heading to the polls to vote in the 2021 Holyrood election.

It is a much-anticipated election, with the SNP set for a landslide victory according to recent polls.

But in the last few months, several MSPs have spoken of their intentions to step down, and not seek reelection.

Who are the MSPs stepping down at next year's Holyrood election?

SNP

Alex Neil

  • Constituency: Airdrie and Shotts
  • First elected: 1999

The Herald:

Alex Neil announced his intention to step down on August 23, 2020.

The former SNP health secretary has been an MSP for 21 years, and said continuing as an MSP would mean "not having the time to pursue all the other things in life I want to do."

Aileen Campbell

  • Constituency: Clydesdale
  • First elected: 2007

The Herald:

Communities and Local Government Secretary Aileen Campbell said she will not be standing for her Clydesdale seat at Holyrood in 2021, citing her desire to spend more time with her family.

Bruce Crawford

  • Constituency: Stirling
  • First elected: 1999

The Herald:

Bruce Crawford, who has been an MSP since the Scottish Parliament began in 1999, said he was stepping down to spend more time with his family, including his three “wonderful” grandchildren.

Roseanna Cunningham

  • Constituency: Perthshire South and Kinross-shire
  • First elected: 1999

The Herald:

 Roseanna Cunningham has served in the Scottish Parliament since 1999, having previously represented Perth as an SNP MP. 

She said by the end of the next parliamentary term, she would be nearly 75, and so age is a "more relevant factor than it may otherwise have been".

Linda Fabiani

  • Constituency: East Kilbride
  • First elected: 1999

The Herald:

Linda Fabiani, who is the convener of the Holyrood inquiry into the Alex Salmond affair, said she would be 65 in 2021 and “I feel I cannot make another five-year commitment”.

Jeane Freeman​

  • Constituency: Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
  • First elected: 2016

The Herald:

Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: "I will be 67 later this year and 72 by the end of the next parliamentary term and while I have a great deal of energy left and more I want to do, I think it is the right time for me to stand aside and let another take forward the work as an MSP for this constituency."

Richard Lyle

  • Constituency: Uddingston and Bellshill
  • First elected: 2011

The Herald:

Richard Lyle joined the SNP in 1966 when he was just 16.

Angus MacDonald

  • Constituency: Falkirk East
  • First elected: 2011

Angus MacDonald was elected an SNP Councillor to Falkirk Council for the Inchyra Ward in a by-election on 16 December 2004, with 56% of the vote.

Gil Paterson

  • Constituency: Clydebank and Milngavie
  • First elected: 1999

He then won the Clydebank and Milngavie seat after defeating Labour’s Des McNulty by around 700 votes.

Gail Ross

  • Constituency: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
  • First elected: 2016

The Herald:

Gail Ross, a former Highland councillor who came to Holyrood in 2016, said the demands of travelling from her constituency to Edinburgh had been a factor.

Michael Russell

  • Constituency: Argyll and Bute
  • First elected: 1999

The Herald:

Michael Russell says it is time for someone younger to take over his position, as he will be 67 next year.

Stewart Stevenson

  • Constituency: Banffshire and Buchan Coast
  • First elected: 2001

The Herald:

Stewart Stevenson has made more than 820 parliamentary speeches and will have attended over 1,000 Parliamentary Committee meetings and held almost 1,200 advice surgeries for constituents by the time he retires.

Sandra White

  • Constiuency: Glsagow Kelvin
  • First elected: 1999

The Herald: Sandra White MSP

Sandra White was an SNP councillor in Renfrewshire council before coming to Holyrood.

Scottish Conservatives

Adam Tomkins

  • Constituency: Edinburgh Central
  • First elected: 2011

The Herald:

Adam Tomkins, who has been MSP for Glasgow since 2016 will not contest next year’s poll and will return full-time to his role as the John Millar Professor of public law at Glasgow University.

Margaret Mitchell

  • Constituency: Central Scotland
  • First elected: 2003

The Herald:

Ruth Davidson

  • Constituency: Edinburgh Central
  • First elected: 2011

The Herald:

The former Scottish Conservative leader said she was a “soon to be ex-politician” and was “terrified of having to try to find a real job".

Labour

David Stewart

  • Constituency: Highlands and Islands
  • First elected: 2007

David Stewart will turn 65 the day before the polls open.

Elaine Smith

  • Constituency: Central Scotland
  • First elected: 1999

Elaine Smith announced she would not be standing again back in 2018 due to ill health.

Iain Gray

  • Constituency: East Lothian
  • First elected: 1999

The Herald:

Iain Gray was Labour leader from 2008 to 2011, and has been at Holyrood for 17 years.

Mary Fee

  • Constituency: West Scotland
  • First elected: 2011

The Herald: Mary Fee and Jackie BaillieMary Fee and Jackie Baillie

Neil Findlay

  • Constiuency: Lothian
  • First elected: 2011

The Herald:

Neil Findlay announced he would step down as business manager, party liaison and Brexit spokesman back in 2019 – and will leave Holyrood at the 2021 Scottish elections.

Read more: Scottish Labour's campaign manager resigns following European elections

Independent

Mark McDonald

  • Constituency: Aberdeen Donside
  • First elected: 2011

The Herald:

The former SNP minister announced he was standing down in March. He was suspended from Holyrood over a sexual harassment scandal.