Scottish minister resigns to focus on wellbeing and constituency

Ben Macpherson, the Scottish Government's Minister for Innovation, Technology and Tertiary Education, has resigned from his ministerial post to focus on his mental and physical wellbeing and to dedicate more time to his constituency. The SNP MSP for Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith announced his decision in a letter to First Minister John Swinney on August 24, 2026. In his resignation letter, Macpherson stated he had "reflected very deeply in recent months" about his priorities. He wrote that he needed more time to attend to "other important pressures, people and purposes, including my mental and physical wellbeing.