Breaking - Nicola Sturgeon set to resign as Scotland's first minister

The official announcement will be made at a press conference this morning but a senior Scottish government source has told Sky News of her plan.

The SNP leader is expected to make the shock announcement during a press conference in Edinburgh at her official residence, Bute House, at 11am.

Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby understands the first minister will stay in post until somebody else takes over, but there is "not an obvious candidate", raising "huge questions" for the future of her party.

The reasons for her exit are also yet to be revealed, but SNP sources have told Beth Rigby the first minister has "just had enough".
news.sky.com...

Sturgeon shot herself in the foot with her recent decision , overturned by Westminster, on her bill on gender recognition allowing people as young as 16 to decide their gender plus her ignoring Scotland's problems while chasing her Independence dream.

Good news !

Live stream.


Nicola Sturgeon has resigned as First Minister of Scotland , she will continue until a successor is found.

a reply to: gortex

Very much a one-trick pony.
Perhaps if she'd concentrated on governing Scotland and not trying to use anything and everything as an opportunity to voice her fervent Scottish Nationalism she'd be more universally respected.

Her management of the Gender Recognition Bill was appalling and clearly highlighted the urgent need for radical reform in Holyrood - much the same as most elected assemblies.

originally posted by: Freeborn
a reply to: gortex

Very much a one-trick pony.
Perhaps if she'd concentrated on governing Scotland and not trying to use anything and everything as an opportunity to voice her fervent Scottish Nationalism she'd be more universally respected.

Her management of the Gender Recognition Bill was appalling and clearly highlighted the urgent need for radical reform in Holyrood - much the same as most elected assemblies.

The gender recognition Bill was based with a huge majority in both votes with support from all parties apart from the conservatives.

It was then blocked by an unilateral decision by Conservative UK ministers.

Not sure how that shows the need for reform in Holyrood.

a reply to: ScepticScot

I read an interesting article inThe Sunday Post at the weekend about the need for reform in Holyrood. It centred around The Gender Recognition Bill and had contributions from many experienced individuals with intimate knowledge of the workings of Holyrood across the political divide.
They all agreed on the need for reform and how the progress of that Bill through the Assembly so clearly demonstrated that.

I'll try to see if there is a link to the article.

I don't profess to be an expert on the workings of The Scottish Assembly but I'd suggest I do have a little bit more of a rudimentary understanding of it than some.

I think all National Assemblies require a certain amount of reform if they are to truly represent the will of the people who elect representatives to them - none more so than Westminster.

Sturgeon really should have concentrated more on the day to day governing of Scotland, a lesson her eventual successor should learn from.

originally posted by: Freeborn
a reply to: ScepticScot

I read an interesting article inThe Sunday Post at the weekend about the need for reform in Holyrood. It centred around The Gender Recognition Bill and had contributions from many experienced individuals with intimate knowledge of the workings of Holyrood across the political divide.
They all agreed on the need for reform and how the progress of that Bill through the Assembly so clearly demonstrated that.

I'll try to see if there is a link to the article.

I don't profess to be an expert on the workings of The Scottish Assembly but I'd suggest I do have a little bit more of a rudimentary understanding of it than some.

I think all National Assemblies require a certain amount of reform if they are to truly represent the will of the people who elect representatives to them - none more so than Westminster.

Sturgeon really should have concentrated more on the day to day governing of Scotland, a lesson her eventual successor should learn from.

I don't have any argument that there could and should be reforms to the scottish parliament. However by almost any measure I can think of it is far more democratic and accountable than Westminster.

In the specific case of the gender reform Bill we have UK minister using the 'nuclear 'option to block a democratic decision of the devolved parliament.

a reply to: ScepticScot

I think I've made it very clear on numerous occasions that I believe Westminster is in need of urgent and radical reform, but that isn't the topic under discussion.

The thing with The Gender Recognition Bill - a subject I'd previously declined to comment on - is that Members were forced to vote along party lines and there was very, very little open and honest discussion in what passes as Committee stages.
Members feel obliged - I won't say they are forced - to vote in accordance with the party line which is frequently at odds with their own personal convictions and more importantly the wishes and best interests of the constituents they are elected to represent.

It's not a fault that is unique to Holyrood, far from it.

Personally, I think it's a major political and strategic blunder to make a Red Line of such a contentious and sensitive issue.
I'm not quite sure the Scottish people have such overwhelming support for The Bill that on the face of it it's elected Assembly has.
Insistence on forcing through such legislation could quite easily sway many wavering voters against Independence and the SNP etc.

If I was a supporter of Scottish Independence it's not a policy I'd want to be drawing a line in the sand over.

a reply to: ScepticScot

However by almost any measure I can think of it is far more democratic and accountable than Westminster.

There are also questions over SNP finances and her memory of events.

Today, the Herald on Sunday can reveal scrutiny of the SNP’s finances, potentially including the loan, is being stepped up by Police Scotland as part of a long-running fraud inquiry.

Operation Branchform was launched in July 2021 after the independence activist Sean Clerkin lodged a complaint about possible fraud involving hundreds of thousands of pounds raised for a second referendum that seemed to have melted into the SNP’s books.

The same day, her husband, the SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, launched a fund-raising website, Ref.scot, with a target of collecting £1million.

He axed the crowdfunder four months later after the party lost 21 of its 56 MPs in June’s snap general election, by which time it had raised £482,000.

Despite Ms Sturgeon being forced to “reset” her Indyref2 plans, the party promised the money was “earmarked” and would “only be used for the specific purpose of a referendum campaign”.

The SNP also appealed for funds on its Yes.scot website, saying donations would be used to send an independence prospectus to all 2.4million homes in Scotland. It never happened.

With no sign of the booklets or a major campaign, some SNP supporters started grumbling about what became of the money that was raised.

It was mostly low-level, but it became a roar in October 2020 when theSNP’s annual accounts for 2019 came out and showed the party had £97,000 in the bank and £272,000 in reserves. That was a lot less than the Yes.scot cash and the £482,000 ringfenced for Indyref2.
www.heraldscotland.com...

Of course investigations are ongoing but I feel there may be more to come on this and it could explain the haste of this resignation.

a reply to: gortex

I know there has also been some noise surrounding a loan of £107,000 Peter Murrell, Surgeon's husband and SNP Chief Executive - a quite incestuous looking connection - made to the SNP but to be honest I'm not too sure of the details of the loan or any suspected wrongdoing.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: ScepticScot

However by almost any measure I can think of it is far more democratic and accountable than Westminster.

There are also questions over SNP finances and her memory of events.

Today, the Herald on Sunday can reveal scrutiny of the SNP’s finances, potentially including the loan, is being stepped up by Police Scotland as part of a long-running fraud inquiry.

Operation Branchform was launched in July 2021 after the independence activist Sean Clerkin lodged a complaint about possible fraud involving hundreds of thousands of pounds raised for a second referendum that seemed to have melted into the SNP’s books.

The same day, her husband, the SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, launched a fund-raising website, Ref.scot, with a target of collecting £1million.

He axed the crowdfunder four months later after the party lost 21 of its 56 MPs in June’s snap general election, by which time it had raised £482,000.

Despite Ms Sturgeon being forced to “reset” her Indyref2 plans, the party promised the money was “earmarked” and would “only be used for the specific purpose of a referendum campaign”.

The SNP also appealed for funds on its Yes.scot website, saying donations would be used to send an independence prospectus to all 2.4million homes in Scotland. It never happened.

With no sign of the booklets or a major campaign, some SNP supporters started grumbling about what became of the money that was raised.

It was mostly low-level, but it became a roar in October 2020 when theSNP’s annual accounts for 2019 came out and showed the party had £97,000 in the bank and £272,000 in reserves. That was a lot less than the Yes.scot cash and the £482,000 ringfenced for Indyref2.
www.heraldscotland.com...

Of course investigations are ongoing but I feel there may be more to come on this and it could explain the haste of this resignation.

Could be but as far as I am aware there is nothimg to suggest any personal gain made by Sturgeon.

Given the apparent magnitude of financial wrongdoing in politics these days before its considered a resignation issue I would seem odd to go over that.

Horrific woman who absolutely hates the English, but loves our money. Don’t worry there’s no shortage of idiots that will be able to replace her and hide their own inadequacies behind stirring up English hatred.

What? England's little b*tch had a Prime Minister? I didn't know that. Did she kneel to the Queen as well? LOL, that must be quite the spectacle!!

originally posted by: Tortuga
Horrific woman who absolutely hates the English, but loves our money. Don’t worry there’s no shortage of idiots that will be able to replace her and hide their own inadequacies behind stirring up English hatred.

Who doesn't hate England in this world?.... LOL. And it's not "your money", you stole it from all over the world with your invasions, opium trafficking and piracy. Be real.

originally posted by: Tortuga
Horrific woman who absolutely hates the English, but loves our money. Don’t worry there’s no shortage of idiots that will be able to replace her and hide their own inadequacies behind stirring up English hatred.

Ridiculous comment! I'm English. I've never really been impressed with Sturgeon. I've also never had the impression she hates the English.

originally posted by: ltrz2025

originally posted by: Tortuga
Horrific woman who absolutely hates the English, but loves our money. Don’t worry there’s no shortage of idiots that will be able to replace her and hide their own inadequacies behind stirring up English hatred.

Who doesn't hate England in this world?.... LOL. And it's not "your money", you stole it from all over the world with your invasions, opium trafficking and piracy. Be real.

Jealousy is not an attractive trait!

The history of most European countries and the US are all very similar. Singling one out from the rest is just misleading.

a reply to: gortex

So long and thanks for all the fish.

Flags out the window today troops, i canny stand the woman and never have done.

Potential new candidates would seem to be Angus Robertson, Kate Forbes, Humza Yousaf and John Swinney thus far.

a reply to: ltrz2025

What? England's little b*tch had a Prime Minister? I didn't know that. Did she kneel to the Queen as well? LOL, that must be quite the spectacle!!

Ha ha ha.
🤣🤣🤣🤣

What little credibility you had just went flying out the window.

Now please be quiet whilst the adults try to have a reasoned and respectful debate.

a reply to: jamespond
Ridiculous reply. Can’t take you seriously

originally posted by: Freeborn
a reply to: ltrz2025

What? England's little b*tch had a Prime Minister? I didn't know that. Did she kneel to the Queen as well? LOL, that must be quite the spectacle!!

Ha ha ha.
🤣🤣🤣🤣

What little credibility you had just went flying out the window.

Now please be quiet whilst the adults try to have a reasoned and respectful debate.

LOL! I was clearly being sarcastic. But, really? a Scot talking about credibility?.. That's a new one! XD

Chief, if you had any credibility, you should have burned England to the ground a few centuries ago. All you are now is the playground of the late Queen Lilibet... but well, it pays well to be a theme park, I guess...

a reply to: ltrz2025

Jealousy? I have family in the UK and lived there for years. Believe me, I would NEVER go back to live in that hell-hole full of mindless obeying slaves throwing parades to their sick and ridiculous monarchs.

Have to wonder if they would want or even have you back with that attitude?

Put it this way the UK is far from perfect, but it is better off than a lot of other places around the planet, that's a given.

Far worse off places to exist or reside than our beloved isle, so there is that.