Mhairi Black burst onto the political scene like a firecracker in 2015, winning hearts and headlines as the youngest Member of Parliament (MP) in the UK since 1832. At just 20 years old, she carried the hopes of Scotland’s independence movement into Westminster with a bold voice and a fresh perspective. Fast forward to 2025, and she’s no longer pacing the halls of Parliament. Instead, she’s trading speeches for stand-up comedy, opening up about her mental health struggles, and reflecting on a decade that shaped her life. With recent news buzzing about her ADHD diagnosis, a new BBC documentary, and her takes on everything from Westminster’s toxicity to Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership, Mhairi Black remains a fascinating figure. Let’s dive into her journey, her latest moves, and what’s next for this Scottish trailblazer.
The Rise of a Political Prodigy
Mhairi Black’s story starts in Paisley, a working-class town near Glasgow, where she grew up far from the polished corridors of power. Born on September 12, 1994, she came from a family that valued grit over glamour. Her parents, Alan and Helen, raised her with a strong sense of justice, something that stuck with her through school and into university. She studied politics at the University of Glasgow, but she didn’t just sit in lecture halls taking notes. Instead, she threw herself into activism, joining the Scottish National Party (SNP) and campaigning for independence during the 2014 referendum.
That referendum changed everything for her. Scotland voted to stay in the UK, but the fight lit a spark in Mhairi. She ran for Parliament the next year, taking on Labour heavyweight Douglas Alexander in Paisley and Renfrewshire South. Everyone expected Alexander to win—he’d held the seat for years. But Mhairi flipped the script. She won with a massive swing, sending shockwaves through British politics. At 20, she stepped into Westminster as the “Baby of the House,” a title for the youngest MP. Her maiden speech went viral, racking up millions of views as she slammed austerity and promised to shake things up.
A Decade in Westminster: Triumphs and Turmoil
Mhairi spent nearly ten years in Parliament, serving from 2015 to 2024, and she didn’t waste a minute. She quickly became a star for the SNP, known for fiery speeches that cut through the noise. One moment that stands out? Her 2016 rant against the Tory government’s welfare cuts, where she called out their “Victorian” attitudes. People loved her for saying what others wouldn’t. By 2022, she climbed the ranks to become the SNP’s deputy leader at Westminster, a role that cemented her as a key player.
But life in London wasn’t all victories and applause. Behind the scenes, Mhairi struggled. She called Westminster “toxic” more times than anyone can count, and she meant it. The long hours, the constant travel from Scotland, and the backstabbing culture wore her down. She saw punch-ups and bullying firsthand, things she says her party didn’t do enough to fix. In a recent BBC documentary, Mhairi Black: Being Me Again, released in March 2025, she spills the tea on how isolated she felt. Friends and family noticed her spark fading, and she admits she was “flailing through life” for years.
Her mental health took a brutal hit. Anxiety and depression crept in, leaving her physically sick—losing weight, throwing up, the works. She kept it quiet, though, fearing colleagues would weaponize her struggles against her. Then, in 2018, a doctor diagnosed her with ADHD. That moment flipped a switch. She compares her brain to Sherlock Holmes’ “mind palace”—three conversations and a song playing all at once. Understanding her neurodivergence helped her fight back against the burnout, but it didn’t erase the toll Westminster took.
Why She Quit: A Bold Exit in 2024
After nine years, Mhairi shocked everyone by announcing she wouldn’t run again in the 2024 general election. Why walk away at 29, when most politicians are just getting started? She lays it out plain and simple: Westminster was killing her. The “hellish” travel, the “depressing” atmosphere, and the feeling of being stuck in “purgatory” pushed her to the edge. She told The Guardian in June 2024 that she wanted to be herself again, not just an MP.
Her exit wasn’t just personal—it hit the SNP hard. The party lost dozens of seats in 2024, dropping to just nine MPs, and her Paisley seat flipped back to Labour. Some saw her leaving as a sign of bigger problems, like cracks in the independence movement or frustration with leadership. Mhairi doesn’t dodge that. In her documentary, she hints at “too many egos” in the SNP, and digs some link to former leaders Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf. She even clapped back at Sturgeon, who called out “careerists” in the party, saying, “She’s right, but it was on her watch.”
Still, Mhairi insists she’s not done with politics entirely. She told BBC Scotland’s Scotcast podcast in March 2025 that she’s still an SNP member “at the minute.” But she’s open to jumping ship if the party swings too far right. For now, though, she’s ruled out running for Holyrood in 2026 — 99.9% sure, she says, though she adds a cheeky “never say never.”
A New Chapter: Comedy, Neurodiversity, and Speaking Out
So, what’s Mhairi doing in 2025? She’s not twiddling her thumbs, that’s for sure. She kicked off a new career in comedy, debuting her show Politics Isn’t For Me at the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2024. Now, she’s taking it on tour, starting at Glasgow’s Oran Mor on March 13, 2025—yep, today’s the big day! The show mixes laughs with raw truth, poking fun at Westminster’s quirks (swords in Parliament, anyone?) and sharing stories from her wild ride as an MP. Critics call it “winning” and “therapy,” proving she’s got a knack for connecting with crowds off the political stage.
She’s also getting real about neurodiversity. In a column for The National on March 8, 2025, she compares society’s take on ADHD and autism to its old views on being gay—a “fad” people dismiss. She hid her ADHD diagnosis for years, worried Westminster’s sharks would smell blood. Now, she’s testing for autism too, a process she revealed in her documentary. She argues simple adjustments could help neurodivergent folks thrive, instead of forcing them to fit a “neurotypical” mold that leaves them stressed, lonely, and sick.
And she’s not shy about calling out her old world. She blasts Westminster as “one of the most unhealthy workplaces” around, full of outdated rules and egos. She even took a swipe at Sturgeon in the documentary, reigniting chatter about SNP infighting. Meanwhile, she’s hinted she might join another party someday, keeping everyone guessing about her next move
FAQs:
1. Why did Mhairi Black leave Parliament after such a promising start?
Mhairi Black walked away from Westminster in 2024 because the place drained her dry. She battled anxiety and depression for years, calling the environment “toxic” and “bullying.” The constant travel from Scotland, the isolation, and the lack of support pushed her to prioritize her health and happiness over a political career that felt like “purgatory.”
2. What’s the deal with her ADHD diagnosis and how did it change her life?
Doctors diagnosed Mhairi with ADHD in 2018, and she says it was a game-changer. She’d been struggling with a chaotic mind—think three conversations and a song on loop. Understanding her brain’s wiring helped her manage the burnout and anxiety that hit hard in Parliament, giving her tools to cope instead of just surviving.
3. How does her comedy show reflect her time as an MP?
Grey’s Her show, Politics Isn’t For Me, mixes laughs with real talk about Westminster’s absurdity—like swords in debates and archaic rules. She shares personal stories too, from family snaps to the stress of being a young MP. It’s her way of processing a tough decade while urging folks to rethink how the government works.
4. What’s her beef with Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP leadership?
ATF Mhairi Black doesn’t name names directly, but she hinted at frustration with “egos” in the SNP, including Sturgeon’s era. She laughed at Sturgeon’s “careerist” jab, saying it happened under her watch. She’s also said the party “made an arse” of some policies, suggesting a disconnect between big ideas and delivery.
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