AN SNP MSP has announced she will take a step back from public duties and not stand for re-election in the Holyrood 2026 as she receives treatment for cancer.
Ruth Maguire, who represents Cunninghame South, issued a statement and shared that her cervical cancer had returned after successfully battling the disease in 2021.
Maguire has notified local members that she will not be standing again.
In the statement, she said: “Hearing from doctors that I have cancer again was obviously pretty devastating and, to be honest, facing treatment again is really daunting.
“I am, however, blessed to be surrounded by hugely supportive friends and family who will carry me through.
“Whilst it will be necessary to follow the advice of my doctors and step back from some public duties as I prepare for and go through treatment again, I want to provide reassurance that, as worked in 2021, my team and I will ensure that my Cunninghame South constituents continue to be represented and served.”
Maguire added: “I remain forever grateful to constituents for their understanding as my loved ones and I navigate the challenging times ahead.
“Public service is a privilege and I consider my time as the Member of Parliament for Cunninghame South to be just that.
"I will of course, continue to serve our citizens in the constituency and in parliament with diligence and compassion, to the very best of my ability until a new MSP is in place in 2026.”
In a letter to activists, she said she wanted to give the local branch "plenty notice and time to prepare, to win".
The letter said: “By 2026 I will have spent nearly 15 years as an elected SNP representative, having first been elected to North Ayrshire council in 2012 as an Irvine West Councillor.
“I know in my heart and head that the end of this parliamentary term is the right time for me to finish my period in frontline politics. The last few years have been challenging both politically and personally for me and even with strength and support it takes its toll.
“I am taking this decision for me but also for my family whose unwavering love and support, often at expense of their interests have carried me through difficult times.”
