A political dynasty has come to an end in Scotland as Fergus Ewing, a former Scottish cabinet minister and member of one of the country's most prominent political families, failed in his bid to be re-elected to the Scottish Parliament as an independent candidate.
Ewing's Political Legacy
Mr Ewing had been a fixture at Holyrood since the first devolved elections in 1999, representing the Inverness and Nairn constituency for 27 years. However, without the backing of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which he left after becoming a vocal critic, he was unable to retain his seat.
His defeat marks the first time since the parliament's inception that no member of the Ewing family has served as an MSP. His mother, Winnie Ewing, famously known as Madame Ecosse, was the oldest MSP elected in 1999. She made history by declaring at the opening session: 'The Scottish Parliament, which adjourned on March 25, 1707, is hereby reconvened.'
His late wife, Maggie Ewing, served as the MSP for Moray from 1999 until her death from cancer in 2006. His sister, Annabelle Ewing, was among the MSPs who stepped down at this election.
From Cabinet Minister to Rebel
After the SNP came to power, Fergus Ewing served as the business, energy and tourism minister before being promoted to the cabinet in 2016 as the rural economy secretary. However, after leaving government following the 2021 Holyrood election, he became a vocal critic of the party. Initially a backbench rebel, he eventually quit the SNP to sit as an independent.
While still a party member, he defied the whip to vote against then-Green minister Lorna Slater in a motion of no confidence, which led to a temporary suspension from the SNP group at Holyrood.
Criticism of SNP Policies
Mr Ewing has been outspoken on a range of issues, criticising the government on gender recognition reforms, delays in dualling the A9 road between Perth and Inverness, and other policies. In March of last year, he claimed the SNP was 'no longer the party for all of Scotland' and accused it of self-destructing through its deal with the Greens, its focus on gender recognition, the deposit return scheme, and its treatment of oil and gas workers, tourism enterprises, farmers, and fishermen.
His departure from the political stage marks the end of an era for the Ewing family's influence in Scottish politics, which has spanned decades and multiple generations.
