Disgraced ex-minister Derek Mackay: I just want to get on with my life

He resigned as Scottish finance secretary after his texts to a teenage boy were exposed in February 2020.

Derek Mackay was spotted at a conference on Wednesday addressed by Humza Yousaf (Fraser Bremner/Daily Mail/PA) (PA Archive)

A former Scottish Government minister who resigned after his texts to a 16-year-old were exposed has said: “I just want to get on my life.”

Derek Mackay served as finance secretary under Nicola Sturgeon before the messages – revealed by the Scottish Sun – led to him standing down hours before he was due to deliver the budget in February 2020.

Mr Mackay subsequently disappeared from public life, never returning to Holyrood as an MSP and standing down at the 2021 election.

I've apologised for any discomfort that caused and I'm just trying to get on with my life like anyone else

Derek Mackay

Before he stood down, the former Renfrewshire North and West MSP was tipped as a potential successor to Ms Sturgeon as first minister.

Mr Mackay was spotted in the audience at the All-Energy Conference in Glasgow on Wednesday while First Minister Humza Yousaf addressed delegates.

Approached by the Scottish Sun at the conference, Mr Mackay said: “It’s clear I resigned, left public office and (I’m) now getting on with my life.”

Pressed on why he sent the texts in the first place, Mr Mackay said: “I’ve apologised for any discomfort that that caused and I’m just trying to get on with my life like everyone else.”

Asked if he would apologise to the family of the boy in question, Mr Mackay said: “I have apologised before and I apologise again… I apologised publicly.”

On his reason for attending the conference – which focused on renewables and decarbonisation – he said: “I’m working, contributing to society, this is about renewables so that’s why I’m here today.”

Mr Mackay’s only other public appearance since he resigned was in September last year at Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee, as it examined the ongoing problems facing shipyard Ferguson Marine and the building of two late and over-budget ferries.

With the help of parliamentary officials, Mr Mackay was able to evade the media after the committee appearance.