She has served as a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) since 1999, first as an additional member for the Glasgow electoral region, and as the member for Glasgow Southside (formerly Glasgow Govan) from 2007. Sturgeon admitted that these results were "bitterly disappointing" and acknowledged that her party's plans for a second referendum were 'undoubtedly' a factor in the election results. She joined the SNP following an assumption by her English teacher, who was a Labour councillor, she would be a Labour supporter. She is the first woman to hold either position. [105] Sturgeon had stated that the party's success in the election was not a mandate for another independence referendum, but primarily for a stronger voice for Scotland in London. [309][310] This was the only occasion when he made a formal visit to Edinburgh as he declined future invites by the first minister. [337], In 2016, Sturgeon disclosed that she had miscarried five years previously. [64], At the 2011 election, the SNP won a large overall majority. Born in Ayrshire, Sturgeon is a law graduate of the University of Glasgow, having worked as a solicitor in Glasgow before her election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. [60][61] This marked the first death in Scotland and Europe. In 2004, Sturgeon announced she would stand as a candidate for the leadership of the SNP; however, she later withdrew from the contest in favour of Alex Salmond, standing instead as depute (deputy) leader on a joint ticket with Salmond. [85][86], Nominations for the SNP leadership closed on 15 October, with Sturgeon confirmed as the only candidate. Within weeks of the referendum, Glasgow had a near five-fold rise in SNP membership and nearby Motherwell and Coatbridge had six-fold increases. Overall, it concluded that ministers "could have been better prepared to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic". I hated everything she stood for. [6][7] She is the eldest of two daughters born to Joan Kerr Sturgeon (ne Ferguson, born 23 October 1952[8]), a dental nurse, and Robin Sturgeon (born 28 September 1948[9]), an electrician. Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon says resignation had nothing to do with criticism of her transgender agenda The first minister thought that championing the transgender cause would make her a. catholic Is Shakira a Roman Catholic? We believe that the value of marriage should be clearly referred to in the guidelines, without denigrating other relationships or children brought up in other kinds of relationship." This followed her admitting that she had had a secret meeting and subsequent phone call with Salmond about the Scottish government's allegations against him. [172][173], At a session of First Minister's Questions in June 2021, Sturgeon was asked about mistakes made early on in the pandemic and she replied: "If I could turn the clock back, would we go into lockdown earlier than we did? Tom Gallagher does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. [58] Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament that containment of the virus had failed and that the Scottish Government was taking steps to mitigate the spread of the virus. "[69], In November 2013, Sturgeon joined Salmond to launch Scotland's Future - the Scottish Government's prospectus for independence. There was, however, significant public opposition to repeal and an unscientific postal vote on the issue organised by SNP donor Brian Souter suggested most Scots wanted to keep the clause. On Wednesday morning last week, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeonsometimes referred to as Scotland's "First Transactivist"resigned. Issuing apologies now is too late for thousands of people. [67], Salmond put Sturgeon in charge of the Scottish Government's legislative process for a referendum on Scottish Independence and she was essentially in charge of the SNP's referendum campaign. [71][72], During the campaign, the European Commission said that if Scots decided to leave the United Kingdom, it would also mean leaving the European Union. "If she wants to show leadership on climate she must clearly say: stop Cambo. [25] Although she failed to win the seat, she was placed first in the SNP's regional list for the Glasgow region, and was thus elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament. [234] In September 2021, Sturgeon was accused of shutting down debate about gender reforms after she described concerns about gender recognition reform as "not valid" and campaign groups and analysts complained that their concerns were being ignored. [186], In August 2021, confonted by climate activist Lauren Macdonald about the Cambo oil field west of Shetland, Sturgeon refused to take a position on whether its development should go ahead. She also served as a member of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee and the Health and Community Care Committee. [192][193][194][195] During the winter of 2022 only one in three sailings to the island of Coll went ahead;[196] Hebridean shopkeepers kept receiving deliveries of rotten food;[197][198] This included rows over the House of Commons' decision to replace the Trident nuclear weapon system, and the SNP's plans to replace council tax in Scotland with a local income tax. [230][231][232] In the 2021 SNP manifesto, Sturgeon committed the party once again to reform the Gender Recognition Act 2004 of the UK Parliament and in August that year included the commitment in her agreement with the Scottish Greens on power-sharing. while other islanders said they had missed doctors appointments, funerals and even the chance to say goodbye to dying loved ones because of cancelled sailings. [33] As Salmond was still an MP in the House of Commons, Sturgeon led the SNP at the Scottish Parliament until the 2007 election, when Salmond was elected as an MSP. Yet just like this makes it ironic for a Catholic to be ascending to lead Scottish Labour, the SNP is now being led by a flinty secularist. Jim Murphy took his soapbox all over Scotland, holding 100 meetings in the campaigns last 100 days. [30], However, once Cunningham emerged as the favourite to win,[30] Salmond announced his intention to stand for the leadership; Sturgeon subsequently withdrew from the contest and declared her support for Salmond, standing instead as his running mate for the depute leadership. "[98], Sturgeon began making appointments to her first cabinet on 21 November 2014, beginning with the appointment of finance secretary John Swinney to become her Deputy First Minister. Nicola Sturgeon is definitely opportunistic. [135] Observers also concluded that opposition to the EU's Common Fisheries Policy in coastal communities was a factor behind large swings to the Tories in North East seats previously held by nationalists for decades. "[291][292], Ahead of the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Sturgeon pledged to review and reform the way that trans people change their legal gender. Quite A Scoop! [251] Annemarie Ward, chief executive at the FAVOR Scotland charity, said: "Nicola Sturgeon said she would make it her national mission to save lives - but were still losing more than 1000 people a year. [265], Sturgeon was highly critical of Donald Trump and his policies during the 2016 United States presidential election and had publicly backed his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. However, that decision is not for today. Despite being a Roman Catholic, some of his roughest receptions were in places with deep Irish associations such as Motherwell. "[207][208][209][210], In June 2022, Sturgeon officially announced her plan for Scottish independence once again. ", "Scottish independence: referendum results live , "Nicola Sturgeon: 'Devo is route to independence', "Nicola Sturgeon launches campaign to succeed Alex Salmond", "Nicola Sturgeon predicts independence 'one day' as she launches bid to replace Alex Salmond", "BBC News Nicola Sturgeon backed by former SNP leader Gordon Wilson to replace Salmond", "Keith Brown and Stewart Hosie stand for SNP deputy leadership", "Angela Constance: 'I know why Yes campaign failed', "Nicola Sturgeon tops politician trust rating poll", "Sturgeon vows to be 'most accessible' first minister ever", "New SNP leadership team: Sturgeon and Hosie", "SNP conference: Nicola Sturgeon appointed party leader", "Resignation date of former First Minister and appointment date of current First Minister: FOI release", "Nicola Sturgeon is elected first minister of Scotland", "Nicola Sturgeon sworn in as First Minister", "Nicola Sturgeon hails her appointment as positive message to girls of Scotland", Nicola Sturgeon officially sworn in as Scotland's First Minister, "John Swinney set to become Deputy First Minister", "Nicola Sturgeon announces new Scottish cabinet", "Nicola Sturgeon announces Scottish cabinet with equal gender balance", "In constructing her first Cabinet, Nicola Sturgeon has shown a commitment to sending 'a strong, positive message to girls and young women', "BElection 2015: SNP wins 56 of 59 seats in Scots landslide", "How many Lib Dems have lost their seats in the 2015 general election? [115][116][117], The UK Government held the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum to decide the future of the United Kingdom's European Union membership, in which all 32 council areas in Scotland voted by a majority for the United Kingdom to remain a member of the EU. Sturgeon confirmed in June 2016 that the Scottish government had formally agreed to draft legislation to allow a second independence referendum to take place. She was unsuccessful, having been beaten by almost 15,000 votes by Labour. She insisted her resignation was not as result of "short term pressures", such as the ferry fiasco, the gender recognition reform bill, transgender prisoners, or the police fraud inquiry into SNP finances, but stated that the job "takes its toll on you". Face masks were introduced in schools for the first time after Boris Johnson was told it was "not worth an argument" with Nicola Sturgeon over the issue, leaked files suggest. [157][158][159] Subsequently the restrictions were repeatedly tightened, loosened and adapted in parts or all of Scotland in response to developments in the situation. ", "Covid in Scotland: Inadequate preparations for Covid, says watchdog", "Scottish government inadequately prepared for Covid watchdog", "Covid in Scotland: Places of worship can open now after court win", "Church leaders pile pressure on Sturgeon to lift public worship ban", "Scotland's Covid death toll officially passes 10,000", "The full picture of Covid-linked deaths in Scotland's care homes", "Nicola Sturgeon leads calls for Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak to resign", "Nicola Sturgeon demands Boris Johnson resigns after Prime Minister fined", "Police speak to Nicola Sturgeon over mask breach", "Police Scotland takes 'no further action' on Nicola Sturgeon following face mask complaint", "Covid in Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon gets police warning but no fine after mask law break", "SNP to seek Scottish independence vote after election victory", "Scottish election 2021: Nicola Sturgeon celebrates 'historic' SNP election win", "SNP wins election, but just one seat short of overall majority", "John Swinney to be minister for Covid recovery", "SNP and Scottish Greens confirm power-sharing deal in historic moment for Greens", "Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater to serve as ministers in Nicola Sturgeon's Government", "Sturgeon urges UK government to reassess Cambo oil field plan", "Shetland oilfield is a drop in the ocean", "Nicola Sturgeon 'hiding behind PM' on Cambo oilfield, say climate groups", "Nicola Sturgeon: Cambo oil field should not get green light", "Scottish island ferry crossings cancelled as wind and rain batter West Coast", "Ferry service has racked up more than 4,500 cancelled sailings in the last three-and-half years", "Scots bride's wedding saved after ferry nightmare left ceremony on the rocks", "Ferry disruption hits Arran hotels | Scottish Licensed Trade News", "Islanders hire fishing boats and RIBs after CalMac cancellations | Wetherspoon chief goes on attack over VAT | Hospitality group launches recruitment drive", "How are ferry problems affecting people on Barra? [319][320][321] The term was used to describe Sturgeon's "fierce" attitude. [145], On 4 March 2021, Sturgeon answered questions over a period of eight hours from members of the committee. [321], Sturgeon was elected leader of the SNP at a time the party enjoyed a surge in membership. [297][298], In the 2021 SNP manifesto, Sturgeon committed the party once again to reform the Gender Recognition Act[233] and in August that year included the commitment in her agreement with the Scottish Greens on power-sharing. List of current heads of government in the United Kingdom, Deputy First Minister of Scotland (20072014), Leadership of the Scottish National Party, Criticism of Boris Johnson administration. She opposed the decision made and criticised Scottish Secretary Alister Jack for blocking the bill and said that the decision was an attack on the Scottish Parliament and Scottish democracy as a whole and said that the matter would be brought to the courts. The recent controversy, however, involving Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's deputy first minister, the BBC and Ireland's Europea minister Lucinda Creighton should be a warning to the SNP government at . Alex Neil, who many speculated would be dismissed, remained in cabinet but in a "less prominent portfolio" of social justice, communities and pensioners rights. [237] Sturgeon refused to say if she regards Bryson as a man or woman, though she used female pronouns when talking about Bryson. Sturgeon said there were "lots of lessons to learn". [317][318], At the beginning of Sturgeon's political career, she was often regarded as a "nippy sweetie", Scottish slang for the "sharp-tongued and strong-minded". She is the eldest child of her parents, Robin and Joanne Sturgeon. We feel we are being lied to. [233][234], In September 2021, Sturgeon was accused of shutting down debate about gender reforms after she described concerns about gender recognition reform as "not valid" and campaign groups and analysts complained that their concerns were being ignored. If he was engaged in a contest for the hearts and minds of Scots with a Catholic upbringing and some Irish roots, he failed: Glasgow and its environs voted decisively Yes. [269][270], In the run up to the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, Nicola Sturgeon offered her own personal backing and that of the Scottish Government to Catalonia in the holding of a referendum. "[177][178][179], Sturgeon led the SNP into the 2021 Scottish Parliament election on a manifesto promise to hold a second independence referendum after the COVID-19 pandemic was over. Acknowledging this, Sturgeon suggested: "That is why the SNP have urged a policy for many months that we believe can provide people with the necessary reassurance, by providing a statutory underpinning to the guidelines, and resolve this difficult debate. [119][120] Sturgeon claimed that it was "clear that the people of Scotland see their future as part of the European Union" and that Scotland had "spoken decisively" with a "strong, unequivocal" vote to remain in the European Union. Nicola Sturgeon went on a stadium tour after becoming SNP leader She opened her premiership more like a rock star than a politician, embarking on a sold-out stadium tour amid a blaze of popular. In June 2017, Sturgeon criticised the approaches taken by both Theresa May and the British Government towards the Brexit approach, claiming that May "will struggle" as she is a "difficult person to build a rapport with". [168][169], In March 2021, the Court of Session declared that the Scottish Government's prohibition on communal worship, imposed during the pandemic, was unlawful. They urged the Catholic community to spurn caution and embrace risk-taking without explaining how a largely low-income group would fare in the face of depleting oil reserves, the retreat of British state jobs, and an ageing population relying on a tax base over 12 times smaller than the present UK one. [104] The party received 50% of the vote share in Scotland and replaced the Liberal Democrats as the third largest party in the British House of Commons. [132] Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, all plans for another referendum were put on hold. Their poverty had been alleviated by post-1945 British reforms. Sturgeon grew up in Prestwick and in the village of Dreghorn, in a terraced council house, which her parents bought through the right-to-buy scheme. [162] Over three thousand care home residents died from COVID-19[163] and Gary Smith, Scotland Secretary of the GMB, said the policy had turned "care homes into morgues". She ordered a review of the thorny issue of hospital car parking charges - as high as 7 in some areas - and, after years of campaigning in opposition, found herself in a position to announce an inquiry into the infection of NHS patients with Hepatitis C and HIV from tainted blood products. We have worked hard to make sure that supplies are there, weve worked hard overcoming challenges that we have faced along the way. ", "Missed funerals and helicopter transfers as ferries misery grows", "Ferries fiasco blamed on 'significant operational failures', "400m estimate for ferries as expert demands public inquiry", "Nicola Sturgeon: Buck stops with me over ferry contract row", "Official Report: First Minister's Question Time", "Sturgeon defends ferries contract decision", "Yesterday, Keith Brown was quizzed on the Ferguson Marine ferry deal- telling @C4Ciaran "that document, the one that signed it off, if it ever existed, is not now available", "Permanent secretary demands 'rigorous' record-keeping after ferries missing document", "Jack McConnell claims SNP may have 'broken law' over missing ferry paperwork", "Scotland's leader starts a campaign for a new independence vote", "Nicola Sturgeon unveils case for Scottish independence", "Sturgeon plans to hold second Scottish independence referendum in October 2023", "Sturgeon plots alternative route to Scottish independence vote next year", "Boris Johnson Rejects Nicola Sturgeon's Call For A Second Independence Referendum", "Scotland announces plan for independence vote in October 2023", "Nicola Sturgeon takes Indyref2 to Supreme Court as Scotland will 'not be prisoner of Boris Johnson', "Scottish independence: 19 October 2023 proposed as date for referendum", "Nicola Sturgeon launches third independence paper: full speech", "Nicola Sturgeon promises new 'Scottish pound' and no passports to visit England - as she lays out economic plan for independence", "Scottish pound: Independent Scotland would introduce new currency", "First Minister: Independence "essential" to Scotland's prosperity", "Independence will rid Scotland of UK economic chaos, says Nicola Sturgeon", "Supreme court rules against Scottish parliament holding new independence referendum", "SNP will treat next UK general election as 'de facto referendum', Sturgeon says", "We'll find another way to Scottish independence - Nicola Sturgeon", "Scottish opposition parties reject SNP's plan to treat election as referendum", "Angus MacNeil: Why we should hold a Holyrood election as a vote on independence", "Nicola Sturgeon makes gender recognition pledge", "SNP civil war deepens as leading Sturgeon critic Joanna Cherry purged from Westminster team", "Scottish transgender reforms put on hold", "Transgender reforms shelved due to coronavirus pandemic", "Trans rights: How gender recognition reform became one of Scotland's most heated debates", "Nicola Sturgeon facing backlash over proposed gender legislation", "Nicola Sturgeon dismisses concerns over gender reforms as 'not valid', "Nicola Sturgeon says gender reform row will go to court", Nicola Sturgeon's gender conundrum: Is Isla Bryson a man or a woman, "Nicola Sturgeon says time is right to resign as Scotland's first minister", "Nicola Sturgeon resigns as First Minister after eight years at top of Scottish politics", "Nicola Sturgeon resigns: Indyref2 is in a perilous position with no clear successor for first minister", "Health boards told to fill 15 million cut in funding for drug and alcohol care", "Proposed cuts on funding for drug and alcohol rehabilitation in Scotland", "Drug deaths in Scotland rose by 23% in 2016", "Scotland's drug deaths rise to new record", "Sturgeon: We took our eye off the ball on drug deaths", "Deaths among homeless people in Scotland up 10%", "Drug deaths in Scotland reach new record level", "Scotland: Drug deaths hit record level for seventh year in a row here's what the data shows", "Nicola Sturgeon accused of ignoring drug deaths epidemic in Scotland", "Scottish government under pressure as drug deaths fell by just nine in 2021", "Drug deaths in Scotland fall by one per cent but are still second highest ever recorded", "Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish education 'not good enough', "Nicola Sturgeon: Judge me on education record", "Attainment gap remains wide and better education data needed | Audit Scotland", "School attainment gap 'remains wide', watchdog warns", "Schulz empfngt Schottin Sturgeon zu Gesprch ber Brexit-Folgen", "Nicola Sturgeon says 'difficult' Theresa May will struggle with Brexit talks", "Nicola Sturgeon calls for united front to protect devolution", "Nicola Sturgeon breaks convention to back Hillary Clinton in Presidential race", "Sturgeon 'will not be silent' over Trump", "Nicola Sturgeon congratulates Donald Trump on inauguration", "Nicola Sturgeon 'let women down' by posing with anti-abortion politician", "Taking Back the House, Vol.
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