THE political commentator David Torrance is to leave journalism for a new career in research.

He announced the development in his regular slot in The Herald yesterday, saying it would be the last of his columns.

“I guess a lot of my columns in this newspaper have probed various “deep stories” – be they Nationalist, liberal or Brexiteer – since my first appearance in 2013,” he wrote.

READ MORE: Five times David Torrance gave us a smile (or a grimace)

“Sadly this is my last, but over the last four-and-a-half years, I hope I’ve succeeded in describing Scottish politics as it is rather than how I or others would like it to be. It has, of course, been a privilege.”

Torrance, 40, began his journalism career in 2000 as a reporter on the Edinburgh Evening News, before moving to Grampian and then STV. He also worked for a period as parliamentary aide to David Mundell, when the Conservative MP held the post of Shadow Scottish Secretary.

He has written biographies of Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon and the former Liberal leader David Steel, and was often critical of the SNP and the Scottish Government in his Herald columns, prompting party supporters to attack him on social media.

Earlier this year the journalist hit the headlines when a SNP party political broadcast titled “What has the SNP ever done for us?” featured a character called Davey who was critical of the party’s record in government.

Some commentators believed the character bore a physical resemblance to the columnist, prompting LibDem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton to made a complaint to Ofcom, which the regulator did not pursue.

SNP figures were yesterday among those wishing the journalist well.

Former SNP depute leader Angus Robertson said: “Best wishes to @davidtorrance on his new life chapter. Always enjoyed working with David who is a real pro. Good luck.”

Geoff Aberdein, a former senior aide to former First Minister Alex Salmond, tweeted: “I’ve agreed and disagreed with David in equal measure over the years but it is hard to question his talent. A great writer and journalist. Congratulations and good luck for future David.”

There was also praise came from the Daily Mail’s columnist Stephen Daisley, who tweeted: “.@davidtorrance’s final column is a corker. David is the foremost analyst of Scottish constitutional politics & has written authoritative works on Thatcher, Skelton & secys of state. He will be brilliant in his new post but he is a real loss to journalism.”

But others were less positive.

Melissa Iacone, who describes herself in her Twitter profile as ‘

“an immigrant thankful of living in a SNP led Scotland”, tweeted: “I see David Torrance is leaving journalism. #IfYouCantSaySomethingNiceSay NothingAtAll.”

There was no comment from either Sturgeon or her predecessor as First Minister.

Salmond wrote a letter to The Herald after the referendum in September 2014, giving an assessment of Torrance’s biography of him. He stated: “Allow me just two observations. First, I hardly know David Torrance. And secondly – and much more problematically for a biographer – he doesn’t know me at all.”

Torrance will take up a politically neutral research role as a senior library clerk in the House of Commons Library, dealing with inquiries from MPs and helping to produce research papers.

Donald Martin, editor-in-chief at Newsquest Scotland, said: “David Torrance has been a popular columnist on The Herald.

“His analysis of the political scene, particularly on constitutional issues, is unrivalled. We wish him all the best for the future.”