Richard Lyle

Richard Macdonald Lyle (born 12 June 1950) is a retired Scottish National Party (SNP) politician.

He served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Uddingston and Bellshill constituency from 2016 to 2021, having previously represented the Central Scotland region from 2011 to 2016.

[2] During a debate on same-sex marriage in Scotland in August 2011, Lyle and with his SNP colleagues Dave Thompson, John Mason and Bill Walker were widely condemned for raising a motion stating that no person or organisation should be forced to be involved or to approve of same-sex marriage.

[5] It was revealed during the lead up to the election that Lyle's Holyrood nickname is "Salty Dick"[6] after it became public knowledge that he had once claimed the cost of a £1.80 bag of chips on expenses.

In May 2020, a motion marking the 72nd anniversary of the Nakba—the exodus of Palestinians from their homeland in 1948—was tabled by fellow SNP MSP Sandra White.

"[11] On 15 November 2020, after nearly 45 years as a councillor and MSP, Lyle announced his retirement from politics in an interview with the Daily Record.