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Wow
I expected her to keep going until some resolution over a second referendum. She has begun to look tired tho the last year and has been at the helm for a while
i expect the SNP to dissolve into infighting now - thats maybe why she has gone as holding the party together has begun to look too hard?
thats maybe why she has gone as holding the party together has begun to look too hard?
So she does it abruptly? I would have thought something far more unexpected is likely to be the cause.
That would be John Smith
Something about an investigation into financial irregularities maybe?
A real loss. She's been a superb leader. Hard to see who takes over and comes close to her.
Loan from her husband or some such. The sort of thing the Tories do three times daily after meals.
Too many scandals and she was becoming the story too often, was always going to end badly as the longer she was in charge, the more rubbish she’d have to deal with, the SNP unfortunately have their fair share of incompetent individuals, and she ended up having to deal with the end result too much.
The SNP need to regroup here, they cannot afford a Liz Truss appointment here, they need to get this right and refocus on their plan if they want to succeed.
Perhaps she'll join up with her pal wee Eck...
I’d just like to echo thestabiliser’s sentiments.
have to say she came across as ten times the leader of any of our current crop of pillocks.
and this is the problem, because she spoke well and could hold her own in a debate she looked and sounded competent. But the reality is the SNP have failed Scotland. Our education is woeful for just one example. She asked to be judged on education but when she was that went quiet.
Constantly blaming Westminster for all our problems was wearing very thin.
I wonder how the reporter knew... perhaps he heard it on the wire?
Trying to emulate Jacinda?
There is a group within the SNP that thought Sturgeon is not committed to independence and that she would rather be a "provincial governor"Â I expect this group to bust the party wide open now with demands for independence now and UDI. to me this has no logic to it at all as that would mean ( as it has) her leadership would end in failure as not achieving independence would be failure judged by any standards. Unfortunately the support across the population is just not there for this ( UDI etc)
There is also the sidelining of the old right wing tartan tories - Fergus Ewing et al. they have the knives out for her
I suspect the SNP will now dissolve into factionalism and infighting - its already been going on behind the scenes but this will bust out into open warfare. Tends to be the fate of parties in power for too long
Her interview on The News Agents  a week or so ago was a really interesting listen - but at the time seemed at the time a  little odd to have given something so lengthy and frank. It sort of seemed like the kind of interview other politicians would have given after they'd left the spotlight.
As a n Englishman and vey loosely a unionist I’d have to say she came across as ten times the leader of any of our current crop of pillocks.
She's not my favourite person but definitely meets that low bar! However she's still managed to be tarred with the Salmond scandal, the ferries scandal, the SNP party financial mess, the GRA infighting and now it seems a new squabble brewing over DRS etc.
However, whilst losing an effective leader seems like a potential blow to indy, if they come up with someone who turns out to be competent then I think it reinforces the message that Scotland can govern itself and can produce international leaders. If its Swinney or Yousaf then I think it will damage the cause, nobody else springs to mind as having say in enough departments to be an obvious choice.
Constantly blaming Westminster for all our problems was wearing very thin.
When you have constantly reducing budgets as a result of Westminster decisions and health and education make up such a large part of the Scottish governments discretionary spend this is simply true - that a lot of the issues could be fairly blamed on Westminster. For example a decent payrise for teachers means cuts elsewhere. Teachers and healthcare workers have been given greater payrises in Scotland but any increase in pay means cuts elsewhere
The straw that breaks the camel's back must be related to the gender self identification issue recently.
Something about an investigation into financial irregularities maybe?
I'm aware of this from reading Private Eye, but I've never seen it reported elsewhere.
I also don't live in Scotland and haven't looked too hard TBF, but I'd expect to have seen her and the SNP being beaten with it more regularly in the current political climate.
Oh OK, it's resurfaced this week I see...
https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/23315583.sturgeon-pressure-police-step-snp-fraud-probe/
I think the trans issue was damaging. The gender recognition reform bill was good legislation, well consulted and supported. But it was quickly followed by section 35 veto then Isla Bryson (which had nothing to do with the bill). last week in the Borders we had a child abduction by a trans person and possible more charges to come from that. I have no doubt this will trigger the debate more and Sturgeon will be further damaged by association.
I’d just like to echo the stabiliser’s sentiments.
I'm English and personally don't want to to see Scotland leave - but it's a shame to see her go, Scotland has lost a good leader there.
It'll be interesting for sure, tbh being an Englishman I've no idea who would replace her, the SNP are a party of unknowns to me - if it all goes tits up, could the Lib Dems make a comeback at the next GE as the third party?
If there's a reason why the decision has been made in haste, I hope it's not health related.
So she does it abruptly? I would have thought something far more unexpected is likely to be the cause.
I do hope it's a political problem and nothing more but the seeming haste would make me think something has gone seriously wrong in the last 12 hours.
Stories already in the news such as the gender bill, financial irregularities etc do not need a press conference arranged at the 11th hour unless something has changed dramatically, eg (not suggesting it is) charges are going to be brought.
if it all goes tits up, could the Lib Dems make a comeback at the next GE as the third party?
I'm no expert, but I suspect the more pertinent question will be how much (if any) ground Scottish Labour might regain on the SNP.
As an outsider, it does look like a lot of the party's success has been tied up with her competency and credibility.
When you have constantly reducing budgets as a result of Westminster decisions and health and education make up such a large part of the Scottish governments discretionary spend this is simply true – that a lot of the issues could be fairly blamed on Westminster.
While I agree that is part of the issue, there was never any ownership of their own poor management.
And the arguments for becoming Independent starkly remind me of the Brexit debate.
Her interview on The News Agents a week or so ago was a really interesting listen – but at the time seemed at the time a little odd to have given something so lengthy and frank. It sort of seemed like the kind of interview other politicians would have given after they’d left the spotlight.
I heard that and agree, she was surprisingly candid but still very polished.
They didn't mention the party finances issue though, IIRC?
I suspect its a "straw that broke the camels back" situation. to much going on and she has just run out of energy and can see no way out.
Tensions between the westminster party and that in Holyrood, tensions between the independence now group and the pragmatists. The GRA and also the financial stuff.
Thats my guess rather than it being one particular issue but its only a guess
If there’s a reason why the decision has been made in haste, I hope it’s not health related.
That is my thought. A sudden abrupt abandoning of a career is often linked to health concerns.
and this is the problem, because she spoke well and could hold her own in a debate she looked and sounded competent.
She came across as divisive, stubborn, refused to accept blame and superior to me. I'm struggling not to do a little dance around the office.
A source close to Ms Sturgeon - the longest-serving first minister - told the BBC that she had "had enough".
Hopefully doesn't sound health related.
I mean it might be health, but it's more likely she and her hubby are going to find themselves in an indefensible situation re. the party finances and she's doing the right thing rather than trying to tough it out (like the Tories she's rightly criticised so much).
Good riddance. Maybe we can get competent govt instead of constant indy campaining.
I think @chewkw had it. The absolute horlicks over this trans issue has tipped her over the edge. That an author is considered to have a better political barometer must hurt.
perhaps he heard it on the wire?
That was unfairly overlooked in the frenzy of speculation.
To echo a few others on here, I don't know a great deal about Scottish politics and I know she has had some issues, but she comes across as genuine, competent, statesmanlike and a leader. She is streets ahead of anyone in Westminster in that regard. It seems a shame for politics to lose such a set of skills and attributes. Perhaps that's a naïve, ill informed view and I'll be corrected by those 'in the know', but that's it for what it's worth.
The view of an Englishman who is pro union but who recognises it's for the Scottish electorate to decide whether to leave/remain in it.
Ian Blackford possible leader, it'd need a shift about but...
I cannot stand Blackford! Pompous windbag
But he provides the entertainment value of a hobbit in the House of Commons
Is Ian Blackford an MSP? I thought he was a Westminster MP?
Do any of the rather vocal detractors on here think that they could have done a better job during the crises of the last few years..?
No..?
Well stop playing armchair critical politics and show a bit more respect for someone who has absolutely buried herself in the mire to do the best for Scotland during the pandemic.
I don't agree with everything Nicola has done, far from it but she has done her best for the people and has run a Government with a real social conscience. Her successes and positive steps far, far outweigh the problems. A really tough act to follow.
She speaks so well. I can't imagine another current political UK leader speaking with this clarity.
Yes Blackford is Wesminster. I would have put money on Kate Forbes but she is on mat leave and has some quite socially conservative views. It will likely be one of cabinet but there will be a process to choose a new leader.
Tad egocentric. I'm glad she's away, perhaps you southerners could take her.
We don't want independence, look at how Brexit worked out. She's deluded.
I'm not an SNP voter but she has been good - Scotland is a nicer place to live than England and a lot of that is to do with SNP policy. They really need to turn around health and education though, maybe a new leader will let them focus on that?
I find most people with objections to her base it purely on personality and appearance rather than policy (I'm amazed we haven't had a post calling her wee Jimmy Cranky yet 🙄 ).
She's done a lot of good things for making Scotland a more progressive place. The Gender Bill seems a funny hill to die on though - I'm exactly the sort of lefty it was meant to please and it made me uneasy. There were flaws in it that were insurmountable and it caused such chaos for such a small group of people (although I'm convinced I will fall on the wrong side of history for that).
I'll be sad to see her go but hopeful someone like her, rather than Salmond, can be found.
I cannot stand Blackford! Pompous windbag
He can argue well though but probably is overshadowed by his own entertainment value.
Good speech from Sturgeon.
Do any of the rather vocal detractors on here think that they could have done a better job during the crises of the last few years..?
No..
What utter drivel, are you only allowed to criticize if you could do a better job yourself? No.
What a dark day for UK politics. I've always thought that she is hugely impressive as a political leader, and if I could have voted for her I definitely would have
I reckon she's just had enough - 8 years of taking a beating from the entire UK Govt & Establishment.
She speaks so well. I can’t imagine another current political UK leader speaking with this clarity.
Absolutely. It's because she doesn't talk out of her arse!
To echo a few others on here, I don’t know a great deal about Scottish politics and I know she has had some issues, but she comes across as genuine, competent, statesmanlike and a leader. She is streets ahead of anyone in Westminster in that regard. It seems a shame for politics to lose such a set of skills and attributes.
That is not naive, I think it is a true reflection of her and many others in politics up here. I too am not a huge fan of SNP, but Nicola is a person to be respected for her values and service in my view.
Not perfect, but operate in a different way and with a deal more collaboration and respect across the nation and parties.
Not convinced on independence but I think she was a capable leader, far better than starmer or whatever incarnation of Tory PM we have recently been burdened with
Sad to see her go tbh.
I reckon she’s just had enough – 8 years of taking a beating from the entire UK Govt & Establishment.
I think you are spot on. It must be a relentless job, she’s put in a big shift.
I quite liked her. I also like the SNP. But I am now hoping this allows Labour to gain a bit more ground in Scotland and thus have a better chance of taking control of the UK.
8 years taking a kicking from a large part of Scottish and UK politics and the general population, that's got to take it's toll on anyone. I'm not a devout supporter of the SNP or Sturgeon, but cannot deny how impressive she's been as a leader throughout her time as FM. Actually, not just as a leader but as a person/human being - much more relatable than most others. I wish there were more like her in politics.
What utter drivel, are you only allowed to criticize if you could do a better job yourself? No.
Ok - look at it slightly differently - who would you rather have had for the last 8 yrs? There's not been a single Scottish party leader in the last 8 years, regardless of the political flavour who would have done a better job.
Ok – look at it slightly differently – who would you rather have had for the last 8 yrs? There’s not been a single Scottish party leader in the last 8 years, regardless of the political flavour who would have done a better job.
Being the best of a bad lot is not something to celebrate.
She has her good points, no doubt. She spoke well and looked good compared to the crop at the top in westminster.
This does not excuse her failings especially in education and NHS. Her Indy campaign was far too similar to the Brexit campaign for me, ie blame the tories and claim everything will be better if we vote to leave despite there being very obvious flaws in the plan that they either denied or refused to debate.
By Glenn Campbell
Political EditorI wonder how the reporter knew… perhaps he heard it on the wire?
What's the linesman for Notts County got to do with it?
I'm saddened, which has surprised me a bit. It used to be the case that countries with women leaders were better and more compassionately run. But along came Theresa May and Liz Truss..
Just another thought.
Without counting any chickens, a Labour win at the next GE would very likely see public support for Scottish Independence soften.
Maybe she can also see that window closing and CBA carrying on in a weaker position.
But I still reckon it's mostly the party finances.
All politicians eventually fail, it is the business. She has chosen to go on her own terms, rather than risk seeing he 'power' reduced at the next elections, due to falling support for the SNP. She's done well to be at the top for so long, but eventually it all catches up.
Whether she was a success or failure or a mixture of the two, won't be judged for many years. However recently the noise levels about he decision making have got so loud that it has dominated everything. If the SNP is to achieve its goal, then perhaps a period of understanding why they have not succeeded is critical. When Sturgeon in charge this was never going to happen
Flynn as Westminster leader was the writing on the wall. The SNP has been tightly controlled for years and that definitely wasn't part of the plan. The upcoming SNP Conference was likely to be very uncomfortable for the current leadership.
A9/A96 ferries, DRS, GRR, public energy company, land reform. All failures and at the door of the Scottish Govt. NHS, education and others also less than ideal but definitely funding issues around that and unarguable that Covid had an impact, as has Brexit. Missing £600k now, eventually, being investigated. And support for independence, the #1 issue for voting SNP, has gone nowhere.
She's been a better advocate for the SNP and independence than Salmond was. Over the years however, events and the right wing media have resulted in her becoming probably as much of a divisive figure as he was.
Keeping the SNP focused and disciplined after the 2014 referendum was probably quite a tough task but that discipline does seem to have dropped more recently. There's a chance that the leadership contest could reinvigorate the party, restore its discipline and give it a common sense of direction, but also a chance that it'll expose and widen any existing fault lines. And given half the chance I wouldn't be surprised if Alex Salmond will try and exacerbate those for his own personal political advantage.
Well, all I can say is .. ooh.
Big shoes to fill !!
There’s a lot of rose tinted stuff being said, but she’s been a politician most of her life, not just leader for 8, she’s got as many negatives as positives and she’s a politician through and through, the problem now is that she was effective in her role, whoever comes in is a step down from her and will not hold the same power in the party. It’s the same with parliament, they all know Flynn is not at the same level of Blackford, yes he was an acquired taste, but you saw he had actual respect from other parties.
The SNP need to get back into a rhythm soon, I hope they don’t get taken over by this new breed of career politicians, end of the day they’re all politicians, but the wrong choice now would be critical.
I'm surprised she lasted this long. The party has been stagnant. They need people that are not from the salmond/sturgeon school of politics. Hopefully it won't be Swinny or Yusif that get the leadership and that any new person gets rid of Summerville as education minister.
Did she really ever do anything of note while in power?
Englishman here, so take all the below with that in mind…
The SNP have an issue where there are two, pretty much unrelated and sometimes contradictory issues.
1 - governing Scotland in the best interests of the populace, ie where they sit on the political spectrum
2 - Scottish independence
As we saw in the UK in the last general election, getting people to elect their mp (and by extension, leader) based on a single divisive issue - brexit - which cuts across the traditional party lines; leads to people not getting the government they want on every other issue.
How many unionist Scots won’t vote snp, despite agreeing with all their other policies? And the inverse?
My main concern now is what happens at the next GE.
With FPTP in most areas the choice was Tory or SNP and I would reluctantly vote SNP to oust the Tories. I figured it was better to have SNP MP's in westminster banging the drum for scotland as opposed to Tory. I reasoned that I could always vote no in an Indy ref.
What will happen now? Will people like me continue to vote SNP for the same reasons? Will those who vote tory because they are anti Indy as opposed to pro tory move towards Labour or Lib dems? My hope is that all those who vote tacitly to oust the party they dislike more take a risk and vote for the party they actually want resulting in a Labour win at westminster that is helped by the people of Scotland as opposed to despite the people of Scotland. The worst thing I can see happening is Scotland delivers a fair few more Tory MP's.
I reckon she's had the briefing from MI5 about the imminent alien invasion and she's thought 'sod that!' and decided to retire to a remote croft in the highlands to live out her last days in peace.
No-one's perfect and she is no exception to that, but she's clearly streets ahead of any other political leader of recent years in the UK.
Of course haters will always find something to hate. But politics isn't about perfection, it's about being better overall than the alternatives.
I appreciate that she's a good communicator, but I'm struggling to understand why anyone is suggesting she was a great politician? Her whole tenure revolved around trying to separate her country from the UK, which clearly failed....and she has ruled over a country who's healthcare and education have gone down the tubes.
ROFL - like MI5 brief the Scottish Government
"healthcare ... gone down the tubes."
you've been reading too much tory press and BBC criticism. The situation in Scotland is not actually that bad in general; I work in a relevant sphere with first hand knowledge and have loads of pals getting exactly what they need, when they need it. Plus no-one having any particularly bad experiences. So perhaps don't believe everything you read in the press. Sure, it's not perfect but a hell of a lot better than the first hand experiences described down south.
Anyway, back to Nicola. She must be utterly exhausted.
she has ruled over a country who’s healthcare and education have gone down the tubes
You've been at the right wing Kool-aid for a bit too long. NHS Scotland is still dealing from the impact of Covid on other services, and education has problems but hardly in crisis. Like it or not, the Scottish Government has limited resources to mitigate the impact of Westminster economic policy, and when central government funding is being squeezed across the UK as a whole, those limited resources are only ever going to go so far.
As for people speculating on a Labour resurgence in Scotland, well perhaps if they were less of a rolling clown show, they'd have more chance of recovering some vote share. I certainly won't forget that they chose to side with the Tories and inflicted Theresa May's government on the UK anytime soon; I'd rather just not bother voting than support Scottish Labour in their current form.
What did she say as she finished?
Fandabbiedozy!