Nicola Sturgeon resignation as it happened: Nicola Sturgeon resigns as first minister - RECAP
Ms Sturgeon will leave office as the longest serving and first female First Minister since the creation of the Scottish Parliament, a time which saw her lead the SNP to repeated election victories at UK, Scottish and local level.
In a shock announcement on Wednesday, the SNP leader said she believes the “time is now” to stand aside but denied reacting to “short-term pressures” after a series of political setbacks.
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Hide Ad“Since my very first moments in the job I have believed a part of serving well would be to know almost instinctively when the time is right to make way for someone else,” she said from her residence at Bute House in Edinburgh.
“In my head and in my heart I know that time is now. That it’s right for me, for my party and my country.”
The succession and timeline of the resignation as well as the successor of the first minister has not yet been made clear, however we will bring you live updates throughout the day in our live blog.
Nicola Sturgeon resigns as Scotland’s first minister - RECAP
Good morning and some big breaking news this morning
Nicola Sturgeon will stand down as First Minister of Scotland after eight years, the BBC has reported.
The First Minister will speak at a hastily-arranged press conference from her residence at Bute House in Edinburgh at 11am.
Alison Thewliss, the SNP MP for Glasgow Central and the party’s home affairs spokesperson, said she was “gutted” at news of Nicola Sturgeon’s impending resignation.
She tweeted: “Absolutely gutted about this. Nicola has been an incredible leader.”
SNP MP Stewart McDonald described Nicola Sturgeon as “the finest public servant of the devolution age” amid reports of her expected departure as Scottish First Minister.
“Nicola Sturgeon is the finest public servant of the devolution age,” the MP for Glasgow South tweeted, sharing a photograph of himself with Ms Sturgeon.
“Her public service, personal resilience and commitment to Scotland is unmatched, and she has served our party unlike anyone else. She will be an enormous loss as First Minister and SNP leader. Thank you!”
Nicola Sturgeon says that “part of serving well would be to know, almost instinctively, when the time is right to make way for someone else.”
She adds: “I know that my time is now for me, for my party and my country.”