The reception She has received today, demonstrates that that admiration and affection is certainly felt here in Scotland. [294][295][230], In April 2020, the reforms were again delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [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. One nurse told STV, "[When we hear the government say supplies are fine] it's not frustrating, it's crushing. "[155], In April 2022 Sturgeon demanded that Prime Minister Boris Johnson resign after police fined him for breaking lockdown rules in 2020. The cosmopolitan outlook which membership of a vibrant world faith gave to Scots Catholics is fading. A dispersal order had to be issued as officers in riot gear battled with boozed-up fans refusing to leave . Nicola Sturgeon is to stand down as Scotland 's First Minister after eight years in the role, according to reports.N The Scottish National Party leader is expected to make the announcement at a hastily-arranged news conference in Edinburgh. Nicola Sturgeon cites 'anti-Catholic abuse' as difference between On Wednesday morning last week, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeonsometimes referred to as Scotland's "First Transactivist"resigned. [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. [300][301] She was accused of using "dangerous language" and when asked if she regretted the comments, Sturgeon simply replied "No" and emphasised the point she detested Tory policies and not supporters or voters. [37][38] This was one of many swings to the SNP, as the party emerged as the largest party, winning one seat more than the governing Scottish Labour Party. [279] However, in 2018 she endorsed her party's Growth Commission report that pledged to reduce an independent Scotland's budget deficit as a percentage of GDP[280] something the Institute for Fiscal Studies concluded meant "continued austerity". [228], As part of the SNP's 2016 manifesto policy, the SNP pledged to voters review and reform the way that trans people change their legal gender. Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. She said that there were different reasons for much of the criticism of Rangers fans in George Square citing "anti-catholic abuse". Michael Matheson was promoted asjustice secretary. 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. I try (tho don't alway", "Nicola Sturgeon miscarriage: First minister reveals baby loss", President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Proposed second Scottish independence referendum, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, Heads of governments of British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, Leaders of political parties in the United Kingdom, List of political parties in the United Kingdom, Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicola_Sturgeon&oldid=1142514123, Female heads of government in the United Kingdom, Women heads of government of non-sovereign entities, Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, Members of the Scottish Parliament 19992003, Members of the Scottish Parliament 20032007, Members of the Scottish Parliament 20072011, Members of the Scottish Parliament 20112016, Members of the Scottish Parliament 20162021, Members of the Scottish Parliament 20212026, Members of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow constituencies, Articles with dead external links from August 2022, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from June 2022, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2023, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2019, Articles with failed verification from May 2021, Articles with failed verification from September 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 20:54. [32], The results of the leadership contest were announced on 3 September 2004, with Salmond and Sturgeon elected as Leader and Depute Leader respectively. "[69], In November 2013, Sturgeon joined Salmond to launch Scotland's Future - the Scottish Government's prospectus for independence. [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. John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon "wrestled" with the idea of leaving at the same time, the Deputy First Minister has said. [81], On 24 September 2014, Sturgeon officially launched her campaign bid to succeed Salmond as Leader of the Scottish National Party at the November leadership election. [311][312][313] Sturgeon claimed Johnson's "fragile male ego" stopped him from meeting her. [107] As part of the election campaign, Sturgeon indicated that the SNP would hold another independence referendum if it won the upcoming 2016 Scottish Parliament election. In 2015, Sturgeon was questioned as, and in some cases branded as, the 'most dangerous woman in Britain'. Is Nicola Sturgeon Catholic - What Is Her Religion? [302][303][304][305], Sturgeon has been highly critical towards the leadership of Boris Johnson's government. The Catholic church has long ceased to be an effective opinion former a charge that could equally be levelled at most denominations, of course. [272], An advocate for Scottish independence, Sturgeon has campaigned for independence from the United Kingdom since her late teens. In a letter to Nicola Sturgeon, he said . [121] Sturgeon said it was "democratically unacceptable" that Scotland could be taken out of the EU "against its will".[122]. . ", "Election 2015: SNP wins 56 of 59 seats in Scots landslide", "Nicola Sturgeon crowned 'Politician of the Year', "Nicola Sturgeon ranked second most powerful woman in UK", "Nicola Sturgeon tops Woman's Hour power list", "Nicola Sturgeon announces wedding plans", "Nicola Sturgeon ties the knot but she won't be calling herself Mrs Murrell", "Nicola Sturgeon spills the beans on her home life as she reveals she's a disaster in the kitchen - Daily Record", "Nicola Sturgeon discusses favourite books with author Maggie O'Farrell | The Scotsman", " I love reading - it gives me a lot of joy and helps with the stresses and strains of work. In the same interview, Sturgeon committed to no independence referendum being held prior to the terms of a UK wide Brexit deal being agreed and presented. He spelled out the risks of partitioning Britain with so little elementary homework having been done. [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. [citation needed], Sturgeon attended Dreghorn Primary School from 1975 to 1982 and Greenwood Academy from 1982 to 1988. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. She also served as a member of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee and the Health and Community Care Committee. ", "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. [24] Shortly after this, Sturgeon was appointed as the SNP's spokesperson for energy and education matters. 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. [88], At a speech in Dundee's Caird Hall on 7 November, Sturgeon pledged to be "the most accessible First Minister ever" when she took over. However, the details regarding her belief remain unknown as she has never opened up about it with the press. [118], In response to the result, on 24 June 2016, Sturgeon said that Scottish Government officials would begin planning for a second independence referendum. She is born into a family of four, including her . [42] Ultimately, Salmond formed a minority government and he was appointed First Minister of Scotland. [34], As leader of the SNP in the Scottish Parliament, she served as the Leader of the Opposition in Holyrood. First Minister condemns anti-Catholic bigotry. [219] She proposed the Scottish Government would use the pound sterling for a brief period before transitioning to a new currency known as the 'Scottish Pound'. Jobs became less scarce as the state became a major employer. The official name is the Free Church of Scotland, and many devotees dislike the popular epithet of the "Wee Frees," with good grounds for arguing that the term is both outdated and sectarian. Johnson went ahead with the policy despite England's Chief Medical Officer saying there were "no very strong reasons" to do so. ", "Polls "confirm Nicola Sturgeon TV debate success", "SNP could hold independence referendum if it wins in 2016", "Sturgeon: Second referendum 'if and when Scotland wants it', "Nicola Sturgeon launches 'ambitious and reforming' SNP manifesto", "Nicola Sturgeon plays down chance of snap second vote on independence", "SNP manifesto launch: Sturgeon makes personal plea to voters", "Nicola Sturgeon: 'When' rather than 'if' for second independence referendum", "Nicola Sturgeon claims 'historic victory' in Scottish vote", "VIDEO: Nicola Sturgeon ready to lead minority government after SNP election win", "New MSPs to arrive at Holyrood for first day", "Nicola Sturgeon wins Scottish first minister vote", "Scotland Seeks Independence Again After U.K. 'Brexit' Vote", "Scotland Says New Vote on Independence Is 'Highly Likely', "Scots' backing for Remain raises threat of union's demise", "Second Scotland Referendum 'Highly Likely', "Nicola Sturgeon says second Scottish referendum 'highly likely' as it happened", "Sturgeon to lobby EU members to support Scotland's bid to remain", "Sturgeon to seek EU talks to 'protect' Scotland's membership", "Nicola Sturgeon says independence vote would be proposed 'if best or only way to protect EU place', "EU referendum: The 'stark difference' between Wales and Scotland", "Scottish parliament votes for second independence referendum", "Nicola Sturgeon writes letter to Theresa May requesting second Scottish independence referendum", "Theresa May: 'Now is not the time' for indyref2", "Voters want a break, says Nicola Sturgeon as she postpones IndyRef2", "Nicola Sturgeon Says The General Election Could "Reinforce" Her Plans For IndyRef2", "Sturgeon: Indyref2 'factor' in SNP losses", "Is Scotland on the cusp of a Tory resurgence? It's as simple as that', "Scots are not becoming more conservative: three factors behind the Tory 'revival' in North East Scotland", "Nicola Sturgeon puts Scottish independence referendum bill on hold", "Nicola Sturgeon refuses to abandon indy ref 2 and promises new timetable in 2018", "Sturgeon refers herself to ethics body over actions in Salmond case", "Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints", "Alex Salmond says there is 'no doubt' Nicola Sturgeon broke ministerial code", "Alex Salmond inquiry likely to recall SNP chief exec and Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell", "MSPs bid to recall SNP chief Peter Murrell to Salmond inquiry", "Team Sturgeon breathes a sigh of relief", "Alex Salmond complainers claim government 'dropped' them", "The SNP mess has left me flabbergasted what kind of message does it send? What Religion Is Nicola Sturgeon | Amarta Karya [65], In December 2012, Sturgeon said that she believed that independence would allow Scotland to build a stronger and more competitive country, and would change spending priorities to address "the scandal of soaring poverty in a country as rich as Scotland". 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. [222][223], On the day the Supreme Court ruled the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate a referendum on independence, Sturgeon announced the next democratic election in Scotland, in this case a UK general election expected to be held in 2024, would be campaigned by the SNP as a de facto referendum. ", "BBC NEWS | Election 2007 | Scottish Parliament | Election Result: Glasgow Govan", "Salmond prepares for SNP minority government", "Better Health, Better Care: Action Plan", "Sturgeon to reverse A&E closure decision", "Scottish government confirms plans to scrap prescription charges", "Prescription charges abolished in Scotland", "Swine influenza Health Protection Agency update", "WHO | World now at the start of 2009 influenza pandemic", "UK plays down swine flu pandemic implications", "Scottish death marks Europe's first H1N1 fatality", "Scottish minimum alcohol pricing passed by parliament", "Scottish cabinet reshuffle: Nicola Sturgeon given new independence role", "High-speed rail plan for Glasgow to Edinburgh line", "High speed Glasgow-Edinburgh rail link plans 'shelved', "Scottish independence would allow economy to grow, says Sturgeon", "Nicola Sturgeon interview: 'I do believe Scotland can be better off', "Scottish independence: Referendum White Paper unveiled", "Independence referendum: Nicola Sturgeon accuses Westminister of bullying over currency", "Scottish minister Nicola Sturgeon hits back over sterling threat", "Scottish independence: Barroso says joining EU would be 'difficult', "Sturgeon warns Europeans could lose right to stay", "UK minister: Sturgeon used EU nationals as bargaining chips", "Scottish independence referendum: final results in full", "Scottish referendum results: As Alex Salmond steps down, Nicola Sturgeon waits for her chance to lead", "Alex Salmond Resigns: Will SNP Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Replace Him? Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell's joint bank account is key to [3][4] She entered office amid a rapid surge in membership of the SNP and this was reflected in the party's performance in the 2015 general election, when it ended Labour's thirty year electoral dominance of Scottish Westminster seats, as it won 56 of the 59 seats and replaced the Liberal Democrats as the third-largest party in the British House of Commons. Image: Belfast Telegraph First Minister condemns anti-Catholic bigotry First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has publicly condemned anti-Catholic bigotry during First Minister's Questions in 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. [284] She has at various points commented on the behaviour or attitudes of men towards women; publicly condemning Donald Trump,[285] Tony Abbott[286] and former Labour MSP Neil Findlay. Sturgeon stood for election to the Scottish Parliament in the first Scottish Parliament election in 1999 as the SNP candidate for Glasgow Govan. The move is prompting a new conversations about trans rights, independence and Jacinda Ardern. [248] Sturgeon tweeted that the figures were "unacceptable, each one a human tragedy",[249] while the Scottish Liberal Democrats said: "It was Nicola Sturgeon's choice to ignore this unfolding epidemic. It really matters. In 2022 Audit Scotland concluded that the final price tag for the vessels would be somewhere between 250m and 400m once the ships were finished in 2023. Their poverty had been alleviated by post-1945 British reforms. [112] Sturgeon also hinted if re-elected she would hold a second referendum on Scottish independence. LONDON Nicola Sturgeon, a fiery campaigner for Scotland's independence who led its government for more than eight years, resigned on Wednesday, declaring that she was exhausted and had . Across Scotland, 62% of voters backed the UK remaining a member of the EU, with 38% voting for the UK to leave. "The basic values of integrity and decency - essential to the proper working of any parliamentary democracy - demand that he go," she tweeted. [132] Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, all plans for another referendum were put on hold. She launched her programme for government, the Better Health, Better Care: Action Plan, which settled a new vision for NHS Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon Resigns as Scotland's First Minister, Citing Toll of [128], Prior to the day the Prime Minister triggered Article 50, formally allowing the process of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, the Scottish Parliament voted 69 to 59 in favour of another independence referendum. 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. [28] On 24 June 2004, Sturgeon announced that she would also be a candidate in the forthcoming election for the leadership, with Kenny MacAskill as her running mate. Nicola Sturgeon Resigns: What to Know, and What's Next for Scotland The down side is that you just end up talking about it all the time and you never leave it outside. We meant it", resonated in areas that had voted strongly for the Union in 2014. Nicola Sturgeon Decries Anti-Catholic acts at First Minister's 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. 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 seen a rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases in Scotland over the past 10 days," she told Parliament. "[291][292], Ahead of the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Sturgeon pledged to review and reform the way that trans people change their legal gender. Nicola Sturgeon has: Played herself in "Question Time" in 1979. Both were subsequently elected, and as Salmond was still an MP in the British House of Commons, Sturgeon led the SNP in the Scottish Parliament as Leader of the Opposition from 2004 to 2007. He has been my friend, mentor and colleague for more than 20 years. "[241] That year 867 Scots lost their lives to drugs an increase of 23% on the previous year's figure and the SNP insisted it was part of a trend seen across much of Europe. She raised these with the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government, Leslie Evans, two months later, rather than reporting them immediately, as she should have done if they constitute government matters (as per the ministerial code). Nicola Sturgeon - Wikipedia If any Irish politicians warned these people about the risks of independence, he would likely be told to mind his own business. [84] During the speech launching her campaign, Sturgeon announced that she would resign as Depute Leader, triggering a concurrent depute leadership election; the MSPs Angela Constance and Keith Brown and the MP Stewart Hosie all nominated themselves to succeed Sturgeon as Depute Leader. Anthony Horan, director of the Catholic Parliamentary . [110] She set out the party's plans to increase income tax by freezing tax thresholds, reversing her previous policy of cutting taxes for higher earners. [142][143] Sturgeon's husband, Peter Murrell, was called to this inquiry to give evidence on 8 December 2020. [181] The SNP won a fourth consecutive election, albeit short of an overall majority, with a record number of votes on both the constituency and regional vote[failed verification] as well as increasing their share of the constituency vote and making a net gain of one seat. by Anthony Horan in News. 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. According to one poll, just 31% of non Catholics backed independence compared with no less than 57% of Catholics. [316], Speaking after Johnson had resigned in 2022, Sturgeon said that he was the only prime minister she had worked with who was a disgrace to the office". On 15 February 2023, Sturgeon announced that she would resign as first minister and SNP leader once a new leader is elected. Catholic Church calls out SNP's "vicious hostility" towards pro-life Boundary changes meant that the notional Labour majority in the seat had increased substantially. You would need to be wired to the moon to think Nicola Sturgeon and her Government give two hoots about the teachings of the Catholic Church or the sensibilities of genuine Catholics. [232], In January 2021, a former trans officer in the SNP's LGBT wing, Teddy Hope, quit the party, claiming it was one of the "core hubs of transphobia in Scotland". Sturgeon confirmed in June 2016 that the Scottish government had formally agreed to draft legislation to allow a second independence referendum to take place. [199][200][201], The Scottish Government had commissioned two new ferries for 97m from Ferguson's shipyard in 2015, but the construction of the two vessels was beset by delays and complications. [127] As the constitution is a reserved matter under the Scotland Act 1998, for a future referendum on Scottish independence to be legal under UK law, it would need to receive the consent of the British Parliament to take place. [191], In the late 2010s, Scottish islanders began to complain that the ageing ferry fleet that connected them to the mainland had become increasingly unreliable. Speaking at the annual Cardinal Winning Lecture at the University of . [220][221] She argued independence would be "essential" for economic prosperity for Scotland as she claimed the economic climate throughout the UK does not offer strength, stability or security. The SNP emerged as the largest party following the 2007 election and Salmond headed the first SNP minority government, with Sturgeon as his Deputy First Minster. She served successively as the SNP's shadow minister for education, health, and justice. If you are not, as First Minister, prepared to put your neck on the line on the education of our young people then what are you prepared to. [331], Sturgeon lives in Glasgow with her husband, Peter Murrell, who is the chief executive officer of the SNP. Her grandmother married Robert Sturgeon, an Ayr gardener, at St Pauls Parish Church. We believe in the free flow of. 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. [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.
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