SNP MSP Maguire announces she is now cancer-free

SNP MSP Ruth Maguire has announced she is cancer-free and is preparing to return to Holyrood.

The Cunninghame South MSP had said last year that she would not seek re-election at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election after she was diagnosed with secondary cervical cancer.

She had initially been diagnosed with cervical cancer in May 2021 and returned to Holyrood a year later, but stepped back when her cancer returned.

Speaking to Holyrood Magazine, she revealed her cancer treatment had been successful.

Ruth Maguire has said she will not seek re-election at the 2026 Holyrood election (Jane Barlow/PA) PA Media

She said: “I have had so many kind messages and cards and people telling me that they’ve been thinking of me and keeping me in their prayers.

“I’ve felt so supported and my family and friends have been magnificent, but constituents and community members have been just lovely.

“I’m looking forward to going out and proactively reconnecting with constituents and groups again.”

She added: “I have a long-standing interest in women’s health, in particular with access to healthcare, and having more first-hand experience and talking with patients and staff over the past few months has given me another fresh insight and indeed impetus into work that may be needed in regards to women’s health and wellbeing.”

The MSP is set to begin constituency work in the coming weeks and will return to Holyrood after the summer recess.

First elected in 2016, she is the deputy convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee and co-convener of the cross-party group on commercial sexual exploitation.