Initially, the Scottish Government resisted banning public events and on 12 March allowed 47,000 fans to attend a Rangers match at Ibrox, insisting that, "stopping mass gatherings [is] not the best way to contain this virus. 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. [256], While foreign policy remains a reserved matter,[257] Sturgeon has undertaken a number of visits to Europe, North America and Asia to promote Scotland as a place of investment and Scottish businesses to trade and do business with. [1][2] She is the longest-serving first minister of Scotland. [337], In 2016, Sturgeon disclosed that she had miscarried five years previously. [citation needed], Following her graduation, Sturgeon completed her legal traineeship at McClure Naismith, a Glasgow firm of solicitors, in 1995. [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. [87] On this date, Sturgeon also came out on top in a trust rating opinion poll, conducted for the SNP, which indicated that 54% of the Scottish population trusted her to "stand up for Scotland's interests". [65], In 2012 she pledged to build a high-speed railway line between Glasgow and Edinburgh by 2024, cutting journey times between the two cities to under 30 minutes. The Catholicism of the Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy has attracted some attention this week against a backdrop of fascinating political developments in Scotland. [302][303][304][305], Sturgeon has been highly critical towards the leadership of Boris Johnson's government. Nicola Sturgeon's Enthusiastic Talk on Catholic Schools Leaked To Catholic Truth! It was reported that Salmond had privately supported Sturgeon in her leadership bid, but decided to run for the position himself as it became apparent she was unlikely to beat Cunningham. 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. [150][151][152][153] In the wake of the results, Sturgeon said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had "no right" to stand in the way of another Scottish independence referendum after an "overwhelming" SNP election victory. [24] Shortly after this, Sturgeon was appointed as the SNP's spokesperson for energy and education matters. [96][97] During her first First Minister's Questions after being sworn in, Sturgeon tried to strike a conciliatory tone, saying that she came into her new post "with an open mind and a willingness to hear proposals from all sides of the chamber. [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. [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. [261], In response to the Brexit vote, to discuss Scotland's interests, Sturgeon travelled to Brussels to meet with both Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission as well as Martin Schulz, the President of the European Parliament.[262][263]. Likewise, she also holds the leader of the Scottish National Party position. She also promised to hold a monthly Facebook question and answer session with members of the public, regular town hall meetings and that the Scottish Cabinet would meet outside Edinburgh once every two months. Recently, Nicola Sturgeon caught the headlines after being accused of treating the north of England with contempt. ", "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? One particular problem it highlighted was that not enough had been done to ensure Scottish hospitals and care homes had enough personal protective equipment. Thatcher was the motivation for my entire political career. [16][17], In her early teens, Sturgeon joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and in 1986, at the age of 16, she became a member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), quickly becoming the party's Youth Affairs Vice Convener and Publicity Vice Convener. [95] She became the first woman to hold office. [184], In August 2021, Sturgeon and Scottish Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater announced a power-sharing agreement between their parties. Speaking at the annual Cardinal Winning Lecture at the University of . Following the 2017 UK general election, Nicola Sturgeon announced that the Scottish Government would postpone legislation pertaining to the proposed second referendum on Scottish independence until at least autumn 2018. The investigating panel consisted of Dame Elish Angiolini, a former Solicitor General for Scotland and lord advocate, and James Hamilton, a former director of public prosecutions in the Republic of Ireland. On 15 February 2023, Sturgeon announced that she would resign as first minister and SNP leader once a new leader is elected. Established in 1999, Catholic Truth is a lay-led apostolate, launched for the purpose of . The victims of drugs and their families were failed. ", "The triumph of Nicola Sturgeon | Ian Jack", "Nicola Sturgeon: 'The most dangerous woman in Britain? 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. [29] The political columnist Iain Macwhirter declared that while she "didn't inspire great warmth", she was "quick on her feet, lacks any ideological baggage and has real determination unlike Roseanna Cunningham". [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. The calls from Sturgeon's government and the wider independence movement for a second referendum were unsuccessful, as the UK government refused to grant a Section 30 order and in November 2022 the UK Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to hold a referendum on the question of Scottish independence. Nicola Sturgeon Speaking At National Economic Forum (Source: Instagram) Shortly after being elected, Sturgeon appointed John Swinney to the newly created position of Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery. When the British Government turned down the Scottish Government's idea of a formal currency union - on the grounds that the rationale for sharing a currency with a foreign country was "not clear" - Sturgeon accused Westminster of trying to "bully Scotland" and said it would "cost their own businesses hundreds of millions in transaction costs". [256] In some local authorities the attainment gap between the richest and poorest students had widened. [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. The up side is that Peter understands what's going on and why I am late home all the time. [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". [214] This plan has been met with condemnation from various opposing parties, with the Prime Minister rejecting her plan. [236], Sturgeon has campaigned against replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system. Bryson was sent to a women's prison before being moved to a men's prison. The answer is No. From 2007 to 2012, she served as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. [307][308] In July 2019, the prime minister met Sturgeon at her official residence, Bute House, where Johnson was "booed and heckled" by protesters. Sturgeon said there were "lots of lessons to learn". [236], In 2023, Sturgeon was criticised in connection with the Isla Bryson case, in which a transgender woman who had raped two women when named Adam Graham began self-identifying as a woman after being charged. "[288][289][290] Commenting on the need for men to challenge their friends misogynistic behaviour, Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament in 2021: "I would say to all men in this chamber and all men across the country challenge it [misogyny] if its on the part of other men you may know, challenge your own behaviour and then lets collectively, as a society, turn the page and turn the corner so that women can live free of the fear of harassment, abuse, intimidation, violence and, in the worst cases, death. [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. Private Eye has described the police investigation into SNP finances as the "game-changer" in Nicola Sturgeon's abrupt decision to resign last month.. A column in the magazine also questioned whether Ms Sturgeon and her husband, the SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, have a joint bank account and, if so, whether his loan of 107,620 was made from it. What religion are the Bee Gees? The favourite to replace Nicola Sturgeon has said Isla Bryson should have the right to self-identify as female despite arguing that the transgender rapist is "at it". "[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. 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. Sturgeon apologised for being overexcited although expressed that she was celebrating Amy Callaghan's win. She led the Scottish Government's response, implementing a series of restrictions on social gatherings and rolling out the vaccine programme. And many in Sturgeons party have rather different views from Archbishops Tartaglia in Glasgow and Cushley in Edinburgh about when the sacredness of human life begins and ends and how far the state should micro-manage the individual. Nicola Sturgeon has rejected an accusation she lied to the Scottish people about the country's currency after independence. [123] An emergency Scottish cabinet meeting on 25 June agreed that the Scottish Government would seek to enter negotiations with the EU and its member states, to explore options to protect Scotland's place in the EU. 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. But he may have swayed enough members of the community to prevent a complete swing to separatism. [171], In April 2021 Scotland's death toll from COVID-19 passed 10,000. She was the Scottish National Party (SNP) Leader until her resignation on February 15 . [92], On 20 November 2014, Sturgeon was sworn into office at the Court of Session in a ceremony presided by Lord Gill,[93][94] after receiving the royal warrant of appointment by Queen Elizabeth II. The move is prompting a new conversations about trans rights, independence and Jacinda Ardern. Overall 52% of voters in the United Kingdom voted for Brexit (leaving the EU), with 48% voting to remain. From 18 November until her official appointment on 20 November, she served as the acting First Minister, essentially the First Minister-elect. Michael Matheson was promoted asjustice secretary. [138][139], In January 2019, Sturgeon referred herself to an independent ministerial ethics body, which led to an investigation into her actions with respect to a sexual harassment case concerning allegations against Salmond. From her family background, we can say that Nicola is Christian. Sturgeon oversaw the scrapping of prescription charges and was widely recognised for her handling of the 2009 swine flu pandemic. [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". [126] May's comments confirmed that the PM wanted the Scottish government to be "fully engaged" in the process. [citation needed], Sturgeon attended Dreghorn Primary School from 1975 to 1982 and Greenwood Academy from 1982 to 1988. The SNP continued to enjoy this electoral success throughout Sturgeon's eight years in office. Feb 15, 2023 Nicola Sturgeon appears like her religion is Christianity. [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'. [235], On 22 December 2022, the Scottish Parliament voted 86 to 39 to pass the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill which was introduced by Sturgeon's government. Nicola Sturgeon has: Played herself in "Question Time" in 1979. [90] In her first speech as leader, Sturgeon said that it was "the privilege of her life" to lead the party she joined as a teenager. She is born into a family of four, including her . [299], At the SNP's 2022 annual party conference in Aberdeen, Sturgeon stated "I detest the Tories and everything they stand for" in an interview on the BBC. [231] Critics of the changes within the SNP had accused Sturgeon of being "out of step" on the issue, and expressed concerns that the reforms would be open to abuse and allow predatory men into women's spaces. This win resulted in Sturgeon becoming the first First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament to form a third government. [99] Shona Robison, a close ally to Sturgeon, became the health secretary, while Keith Brown and Angela Constance, who were both unsuccessful in their bids for the deputy leadership of the SNP, were appointed infrastructure secretary and education secretary, respectively. A second example would be the Named Person Act, which requires every Scottish child up to age 18 to have a guardian appointed by the state to huge opposition from churches including the Catholics. Jim Murphy took his soapbox all over Scotland, holding 100 meetings in the campaigns last 100 days. [14], Sturgeon was a quiet child and has been described by her younger sister as "the sensible one" of the two. [306] Following Johnson's appointment as British prime minister, she claimed he "rambled" in his first speech outside 10 Downing Street and suggested he was "blame shifting". [266] Sturgeon highlighted her disapproval of his language and views relating to sexism and misogyny, and stated upon Trump's victory that she hopes "Trump turns out to be a president different to the one he was during his campaign and reaches out to those who felt vilified by his campaign". The SNP won 48 seats, and came second place in the 11 others; their 45% of the vote yielded 80% of the seats in Scotland. [327], Forbes magazine ranked Sturgeon as the 50th most powerful woman in the world in 2016 and 2nd in the United Kingdom. [294][295][230], In April 2020, the reforms were again delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. One nurse told STV, "[When we hear the government say supplies are fine] it's not frustrating, it's crushing. She served successively as the SNP's shadow minister for education, health, and justice. In line with Government guidance, she completed a self-isolation period.[339]. [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. [56][57], On 11 June, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the influenza virus a pandemic. 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. 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. [39][40] Although the SNP was recognised as the winners of the election, it failed to obtain a majority and Labour was not willing to allow the SNP to enter government. We have worked hard to make sure that supplies are there, weve worked hard overcoming challenges that we have faced along the way. [202][203][204], Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament of her "deep regret" that islanders were enduring such chaos and said that the Government was "learning lessons from this experience". In 1979 most of them voted No or abstained in the first referendum on devolution. 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. "If she wants to show leadership on climate she must clearly say: stop Cambo. Their sense of grievance, anti-imperialism and touchiness are traits that chime with plenty other Scots. "[54] The following day, she confirmed that these were cases of the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus. Alex Salmond, the departing leader, preached a rousing sermon and anointed his successor, Nicola Sturgeon, amid great fervour. [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. Sturgeon was retained as Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing until a reshuffle one year later, when she was appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Capital Investment and Cities and an additional role overseeing the referendum on Scottish independence, essentially putting her in charge of the SNP's referendum campaign. "[166], In July 2020, Sturgeon advocated that the leaders of the four UK nations adopt a coordinated Zero-COVID strategy. [63] In June 2012, the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2012 was passed after receiving support from the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Greens. Following the SNP's landslide majority in 2011, she was appointed as the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Capital Investment and Cities, which saw her in charge of the legislative process for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. [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. [185] As part of the agreement, the Green Party co-leaders would be nominated to serve as ministers. 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). [34], As leader of the SNP in the Scottish Parliament, she served as the Leader of the Opposition in Holyrood. The previous leader, Alex Salmond, announced at the time that he would not stand. [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. Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Capital Investment and Cities, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, longest-serving first minister of Scotland, elected unopposed as SNP leader in November 2014, Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association, Glasgow University Students' Representative Council, Shadow Minister for Children and Education, Shadow Minister for Health and Community Care, 2004 Scottish National Party leadership election, Nicola Sturgeon's tenure as Deputy First Minister, 2009 swine flu pandemic in the United Kingdom, Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2012, Scotland's poor relationship with alcohol, Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013, social justice, communities and pensioners rights, 2015 United Kingdom general election in Scotland, second referendum on Scottish independence, 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2017 United Kingdom general election in Scotland, sexual harassment case concerning allegations against Salmond, Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints, 2019 United Kingdom general election in Scotland, Scottish National PartyScottish Greens agreement, power-sharing agreement between their parties, historically been a strong supporter of the oil and gas industry, Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, List of current heads of government in the United Kingdom and dependencies, "Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland's first minister to resign saying 'time is now' to go", "Nicola Sturgeon to resign as Scottish first minister", "Alex Salmond's resignation could give Nicola Sturgeon her day of destiny", "The transition from Alex Salmond to Nicola Sturgeon", Birth certificate of Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon, "Nicola Sturgeon: SNP leader in 60 seconds", "Heading to my home town to wish my mum a happy birthday!! The cosmopolitan outlook which membership of a vibrant world faith gave to Scots Catholics is fading. As the new leader of Scottish Labour, Murphy will certainly hope to bring disaffected voters to their senses by challenging what he sees as the dangerous impracticality of nationalism. Aged 21, Sturgeon was selected as the SNP candidate in the Glasgow Shettleston constituency. [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. 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 . [18][19][20], In an interview with the BBC's Woman's Hour, Sturgeon revealed that it was Margaret Thatcher who inspired her to enter politics, because, due to rising unemployment in Scotland at the time, she developed "a strong feeling that it was wrong for Scotland to be governed by a Tory government that we hadn't elected". [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. [15] She developed a passion for books and reading which continued into adult life. People with dormant grievances and minimal interest in politics suddenly became passionately intense in expressing a new faith and displaying impressive knowledge about English wickedness all the way back to 1745. "[69], In November 2013, Sturgeon joined Salmond to launch Scotland's Future - the Scottish Government's prospectus for independence. Nicola Sturgeon . [211] She argued that her government had an "indisputable mandate" for a second Scottish independence referendum. Lori Lightfoot with Holocaust survivors (Source: Facebook) Lori and her wife Amy were seen at a vaccination program held for Holocaust survivors and this rumor started. Nicola Sturgeon, (born July 19, 1970, Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland), first minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (2014- ), Scotland's fifth leaderand first woman leadersince the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and government in 1999. More election successes are sure to follow. 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. "[250], In July 2022 the figures for 2021 were released, revealing that 1,330 had died - nine fewer than in 2020. Alex Neil, who many speculated would be dismissed, remained in cabinet but in a "less prominent portfolio" of social justice, communities and pensioners rights. [22][23], The 1997 general election saw Sturgeon selected to fight the Glasgow Govan seat for the SNP. [338], In May 2022, Sturgeon tested positive for COVID-19. [328][329] She was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2014. [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. Nicola Sturgeon, (born July 19, 1970, Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland), first minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (2014- ), Scotland's fifth leaderand first woman leadersince the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and government in 1999. The first minister was answering a question from Labour MSP Pauline O'Neill about "anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice" in Scotland after arrests were made in the wake of . [161] Many had been infected with the virus and ended up passing it on to other care home residents. [241][242] At the time, Scottish Drugs Forum Chief Executive David Liddell said he was concerned that the cuts had "the potential to increase harm and drug-related deaths. [48] Sturgeon oversaw the scrapping of prescription charges In Scotland, an election pledge by the SNP originally for the chronically ill and those with cancer. 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. [112] Sturgeon also hinted if re-elected she would hold a second referendum on Scottish independence. She said that there were different reasons for much of the criticism of Rangers fans in George Square citing "anti-catholic abuse". Nicola Sturgeon is definitely opportunistic. Is Nicola Sturgeon Catholic - What Is Her Religion? As of 2023, Nicola Sturgeon is possibly single. There was no agreement on oil and gas exploration, but the government now argued that it had a stronger case for a national independence referendum. She became the youngest ever parliamentary candidate in Scotland in the 1992 general election. [243] In December 2020 figures were released revealing that 1,264 people in Scotland had died from drug overdoses in 2019 the highest number in Europe per head and more than double the number in 2014. There have been questions going around saying is Nicola Sturgeon lesbian. She also served as a member of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee and the Health and Community Care Committee. However, the details regarding her belief remain unknown as she has never opened up about it with the press. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title.

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