Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician who is the fifth and current First Minister of Scotland and the leader of the Scottish National Party, in office since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. Sturgeon has been a member of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, first as an additional member for the Glasgow electoral region from 1999 to 2007, and as the member for Glasgow Southside since 2007 (known as Glasgow Govan from 2007 to 2011).

A law graduate of the University of Glasgow, Sturgeon worked as a solicitor in Glasgow. Elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, and served successively as the SNP's shadow minister for education, health and justice. In 2004, she announced that she would stand as a candidate for the leadership of the SNP following the resignation of John Swinney. However, she later withdrew from the contest in favour of Alex Salmond, standing instead as depute (deputy) leader on a joint ticket with Salmond.

Both were subsequently elected, and as Salmond was still an MP in the House of Commons, Sturgeon led the SNP in the Scottish Parliament from 2004 to 2007, when Alex Salmond was elected to the Scottish Parliament in the 2007 election. The SNP won the highest number of seats in the Scottish Parliament following the 2007 election, and Alex Salmond was subsequently appointed First Minister of Scotland. He appointed Sturgeon as Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. She was later appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities in 2012.

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Famous quotes by Nicola Sturgeon:

"I hope it doesn't cause any added distress to Robin Cook's family."
"It's a classic Labour hype."
"Political parties have to convince people that there is a real reason to vote and that will re-engage them in politics."
"Isn't it the case, ... that there were deep divisions inside the executive over the issue and rather than tell the prime minister that, the first minister chose to abdicate responsibility and stay completely silent."
"T he fact almost 40,000 Scots waited more than six months for treatment is an absolute disgrace, and these figures clearly expose Andy Kerr's claim that no patient waits more than six months for treatment as nothing more than a cruel deception."
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Latest News for: Nicola sturgeon

April Fool's Day: The best Scottish news media pranks, from Nicola Sturgeon's new career to ...

The Scotsman 01 Apr 2025
Here are some of the best article pranks played across the Scottish news media - including from Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘new career’ ....

EUAN MCCOLM: Fix the little things before they get bigger, goes the theory. So why ...

The Daily Mail 01 Apr 2025
Long before he was a much-ridiculed legal adviser to Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani was a hero to many Americans who now hold him in contempt ... Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon frequently blamed Westminster for Scotland's problems ... Advertisement ... .

Health board's 16 complaints about transgender people using NHS single sex toilets | Daily Mail Online

The Daily Mail 29 Mar 2025
Patients raised the concerns over the use of single-sex spaces by both transwomen and transmen ... ‘These shocking findings are further proof of women and girls being placed at risk by Nicola Sturgeon’s reckless gender self-ID policy ... The guidance added ... .

Prevent boss leaves role after Southport attack exposed failings

AOL 28 Mar 2025
On another occasion, he was heard using inappropriate language saying Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, “looked like a retard” and also accused his key worker of being “sexist, racist and homophobic” ... .

Nicola Sturgeon pays tribute to 'beautiful friend' Christina McKelvie after MSP dies aged just 57

Daily Record 27 Mar 2025
McKelvie, a popular MSP and Scottish Government minister, passed away after a long battle with breast cancer ... .

Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie dies aged 57: Tributes paid to SNP MSP | Daily ...

The Daily Mail 27 Mar 2025
She became Minister for Equalities and Older People in 2018 under Nicola Sturgeon, before being shuffled to Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development under Humza Yousaf in 2023 ... 'We are immensely proud of all Christina achieved.' ... .

Portrait of the week: Spring Statement, Heathrow fire and Prince Harry quits his charity

The Spectator 27 Mar 2025
Home ... On the day that her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court charged with embezzlement, Nicola Sturgeon, the former first minister of Scotland, said ... .

Starmer: Scotland’s top prosecutor must not sit in SNP Cabinet

The Daily Telegraph 26 Mar 2025
Scotland’s most senior prosecutor must no longer sit in the SNP government’s Cabinet, Sir Keir Starmer has said after a criminal investigation into Nicola Sturgeon was dropped ... Nicola Sturgeon spoke ...

Sturgeon's role in Salmond sex investigation comes under spotlight as independent investigator revealed | Daily ...

The Daily Mail 26 Mar 2025
Fresh questions have been raised over the independence of a misconduct probe into former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon just days after she was cleared over the SNP fraud investigation ... Nicola SturgeonAlex SalmondSNP.

Trans policy will ‘raise awareness of menstruation in men’s toilets’, says NHS trust

The Daily Telegraph 26 Mar 2025
Nicola Sturgeon’s plans to allow people to self-identify their legal gender by signing a simple declaration were vetoed by the UK Government over concerns about the impact on women’s safe spaces.

'Use a clean razor blade for self harm', trans charity tells children who hurt themselves ...

The Daily Mail 26 Mar 2025
Nicola Sturgeon at LGBT Youth Scotland's 'Purple Friday' event in 2020 ... From humble beginnings, it went on to win the support of Nicola Sturgeon - who visited its Edinburgh headquarters in 2018 to mark ...

“John Swinney is no Jack Sparrow”

New Statesman 26 Mar 2025
The SNP slate is going to look like the ghost crew from Pirates of the Caribbean if all those abandoning the Commons and the political dead trying to rise from Nicola Sturgeon’s locker are selected,” ...

Nicola Sturgeon flogging signed copies of her book - months before it hits shelves | ...

The Daily Mail 25 Mar 2025
With almost five months to go until her book is due to be released, Nicola Sturgeon is at pains to spread the word ... Nicola Sturgeon has been prmoting the sale of signed copies of her book ... Sturgeon.

Is Labour edging towards Donald Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill’?

The Daily Telegraph 25 Mar 2025
Alex Brandon/AP ... Even the SNP has a more sensible – well, sort of – policy on the issue now that Nicola Sturgeon and her Green allies are not calling the shots ... Donald Trump, North Sea oil, Ed Miliband, Anas Sarwar, Nicola Sturgeon, Russell Findlay ... .

STEPHEN DAISLEY: The country is sorely in need of more politicians like Douglas Ross | ...

The Daily Mail 25 Mar 2025
Against this backdrop, he nonetheless threw himself with gusto into the mission of holding Nicola Sturgeon to account ... scunnered with Nicola Sturgeon’s posturing and refusal to let the matter rest.
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