[47] She reversed the decision to close casualty units at University Hospital Ayr and University Hospital Monklands. [182][183], Sturgeon was nominated for the post of First Minister by a vote of the Scottish Parliament on 18 May, defeating Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie by 64 votes to 31 and 4 respectively. [184], In August 2021, Sturgeon and Scottish Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater announced a power-sharing agreement between their parties. [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. 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". At the time, Queen's Counsel under the reign of Elizabeth II, now King's Counsel under the reign of Charles III. [118], In response to the result, on 24 June 2016, Sturgeon said that Scottish Government officials would begin planning for a second independence referendum. [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. [300][301] She was accused of using "dangerous language" and when asked if she regretted the comments, Sturgeon simply replied "No" and emphasised the point she detested Tory policies and not supporters or voters. ", "Nicola Sturgeon's sister urges the critics to 'cut SNP leader some slack' on Covid", "Sunderland roots of SNP's Nicola Sturgeon", "Gary Elliot: Nicola Sturgeon and I come from the same working class stock - trying to paint her as the 'new establishment' is laughable", "Nicola Sturgeon on taking Scotland to the world", "Profile: Nicola Sturgeon spoke to Mandy Rhodes about her miscarriage", "Sturgeon: "Now or never" to banish Trident", "Sturgeon on Charles Kennedy 'a most talented politician', "Nicola Sturgeon reveals how she and Charles Kennedy watched Trainspotting together as she pays tribute to former Lib Dem leader", "BBC News | SCOTLAND | Poll 'backs' Section 28", "Edinburgh News, "Salmond in shock bid for leader", "Scotsman.com, "Salmond's arch-rival buries hatchet with declaration of support", "Why does Nicola Sturgeon not have a seat in Westminster? [167], In February 2021 Audit Scotland published a report that concluded the Scottish Government had not prepared adequately for a pandemic. List of current heads of government in the United Kingdom, Deputy First Minister of Scotland (20072014), Leadership of the Scottish National Party, Criticism of Boris Johnson administration. [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, but the bill was vetoed by the UK Government. Nicola Sturgeon is definitely opportunistic. Mr Swinney announced on Thursday his plans to step down when a new first minister is appointed, bringing to an end his near-16 year career at the top of the Scottish Government. [115][116][117], The UK Government held the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum to decide the future of the United Kingdom's European Union membership, in which all 32 council areas in Scotland voted by a majority for the United Kingdom to remain a member of the EU. [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. "Based on this experience, Health Protection Scotland has expressed the view that sustained community transmission appears to be taking place. Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon says resignation had nothing to do with criticism of her transgender agenda The first minister thought that championing the transgender cause would make her a. [citation needed] She later studied law at the University of Glasgow School of Law, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) in 1992 and a Diploma in Legal Practice the following year. [34], As leader of the SNP in the Scottish Parliament, she served as the Leader of the Opposition in Holyrood. [256] In some local authorities the attainment gap between the richest and poorest students had widened. [111] The manifesto also included a commitment to increase NHS funding by 500 million, "baby boxes" full of essentials to newborn parents, and an ambitious new target to cut emissions by 50% by 2020 as of the party's effort to tackle climate change. Absolutely not, there's no man I know who is less sexist. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hit out at anti-catholic bigotry in Scotland (Image: PA) Read More Related Articles. Despite being a Roman Catholic, some of his roughest receptions were in places with deep Irish associations such as Motherwell. Nicola Sturgeon: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know - FamousDetails [156] On 23 March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Sturgeon ordered Scotland into "lockdown", limiting the reasons why people may leave their homes in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus, to protect the health of the population, and to ease the pressure the virus placed on NHS Scotland services and workforce. We meant it", resonated in areas that had voted strongly for the Union in 2014. 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. [272], An advocate for Scottish independence, Sturgeon has campaigned for independence from the United Kingdom since her late teens. Yet many Scots Catholics were for a long time at ease with Britishness. "We have seen a rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases in Scotland over the past 10 days," she told Parliament. Nicola Sturgeon Denounces "Vile Anti-Catholic Prejudice" But Will She [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. 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. [37][38] This was one of many swings to the SNP, as the party emerged as the largest party, winning one seat more than the governing Scottish Labour Party. [60][61] This marked the first death in Scotland and Europe. Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell's joint bank account is key to Sturgeon kicked off her election campaign pledging that a strong result for the SNP would "reinforce" her mandate for a second independence referendum. What movie and television projects has Nicola Sturgeon been in? Nicola Sturgeon - Wikipedia The reception She has received today, demonstrates that that admiration and affection is certainly felt here in Scotland. [32], The results of the leadership contest were announced on 3 September 2004, with Salmond and Sturgeon elected as Leader and Depute Leader respectively. Nicola Sturgeon is the current (2015) First Minister. [26], Sturgeon served as Shadow Minister for Health and Community Care from 2000 to 2003, and Shadow Minister for Justice from 2003 to 2004. [214] This plan has been met with condemnation from various opposing parties, with the Prime Minister rejecting her plan. The defeat of the Yes Scotland campaign in the referendum resulted in the resignation of Salmond as leader of the SNP and first minister. ", "Moray: 'We are fed up with the SNP. [276] She described the Queen as the "greatest constant in our national life" and added her death was a day for reflection and remembrance" and "a day for giving thanks to The Queen for her devotion to duty and the decades of public service she gave to the people of Scotland.[277][278], She has at times been a critic of austerity, saying that the UK government's "austerity economics" is "morally unjustifiable and economically unsustainable". [224][225] Unionist parties have rejected this characterisation. [81], On 24 September 2014, Sturgeon officially launched her campaign bid to succeed Salmond as Leader of the Scottish National Party at the November leadership election. 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. These are the heartlands of a community once defined by deep Catholic loyalties. My fellow Catholics are the lapsed unionists behind SNP surge in the polls From 2007 to 2012, she served as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. [160], During the early stages of the pandemic 1,300 elderly hospital patients were transferred into care homes without receiving a negative coronavirus test result. But now these Scots are mainstream. We believe in the free flow of. [236], Sturgeon has campaigned against replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system. [14], Sturgeon was a quiet child and has been described by her younger sister as "the sensible one" of the two. "[148], Sturgeon led her party to a landslide victory in the 2019 United Kingdom general election in Scotland. First Minister condemns anti-Catholic bigotry. Sturgeon stood for election to the Scottish Parliament in the first Scottish Parliament election in 1999 as the SNP candidate for Glasgow Govan. [citation needed], In the mid-1990s Sturgeon and Charles Kennedy went together on a political study visit to Australia. Nicola Sturgeon blasted Rangers revellers for their anti-Catholic rampage Credit: Reuters. Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon is a Scottish politician who has served as the countrys First Minister since 2014. [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". [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". [234] In September 2021, Sturgeon was accused of shutting down debate about gender reforms after she described concerns about gender recognition reform as "not valid" and campaign groups and analysts complained that their concerns were being ignored. [] I can think of no greater privilege than to seek to lead the party I joined when I was just 16. [331], Sturgeon lives in Glasgow with her husband, Peter Murrell, who is the chief executive officer of the SNP. "[69], In November 2013, Sturgeon joined Salmond to launch Scotland's Future - the Scottish Government's prospectus for independence. [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. "[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. "[334], Sturgeon is known for her love of fiction and says reading, "gives me a lot of joy and helps with the stresses and strains of work". [238] At a press conference in Bute House, Sturgeon insisted that her resignation was not due to "short term pressures" and stated that the job "takes its toll on you". She became the youngest ever parliamentary candidate in Scotland in the 1992 general election. [citation needed]. We can't bind our successors, but we've made very clear our belief that constitutional referenda are once-in-a-generation events. [321], Sturgeon was elected leader of the SNP at a time the party enjoyed a surge in membership. Alex Salmond, the departing leader, preached a rousing sermon and anointed his successor, Nicola Sturgeon, amid great fervour. Is Nicola Sturgeon Catholic - What Is Her Religion? [28] On 24 June 2004, Sturgeon announced that she would also be a candidate in the forthcoming election for the leadership, with Kenny MacAskill as her running mate. Nicola Sturgeon Telling Lies? Never! (She Insists) - Catholic Truth [247], In August 2021 the Scottish Government announced there had been 1,339 drug deaths in the previous year a new record high. Responding to a question by Labour MSP James Kelly, the First . In 1979 most of them voted No or abstained in the first referendum on devolution. [144] Opposition parties criticised Sturgeon on disparity and contradictions between the narratives of Murrell and herself. The First Minister responded to questions from Douglas Ross, following a report in the Times that Scotland would have to join the euro if it wished to be a member of the European Union. [231][293] The Scottish Government said it had paused the legislation in order to find "maximum consensus" on the issue[231] and commentators described the issue as having divided the SNP like no other, with many dubbing the debate a "civil war". Scotlands Catholic community, to which I belong, has often felt itself to be a perennial underdog at the hands of a frosty establishment. [36], In the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, Sturgeon defeated Gordon Jackson QC[a] with a 4.7% swing to the SNP in the Glasgow Govan constituency. [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. [66] Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would "not wait" for Westminster to build a high-speed line to Scotland. [269][270], In the run up to the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, Nicola Sturgeon offered her own personal backing and that of the Scottish Government to Catalonia in the holding of a referendum. [274] On the day Queen Elizabeth II became Britain's longest reigning monarch, Sturgeon travelled with her to open the Borders Railway and told a crowd of well-wishers: "She [The Queen] has carried out Her duties with dedication, wisdom and an exemplary sense of public service. He has been my friend, mentor and colleague for more than 20 years. What religion are the Bee Gees? In June 2017, Sturgeon criticised the approaches taken by both Theresa May and the British Government towards the Brexit approach, claiming that May "will struggle" as she is a "difficult person to build a rapport with". It's interesting what Dan Wootton said about her reaction to Omicron - that is the very first thing I said when I heard about it, that Nicola would jump on it and use it to bring in more restrictions. [311][312][313] Sturgeon claimed Johnson's "fragile male ego" stopped him from meeting her. [91], Although Salmond officially tendered his resignation as First Minister on 18 November 2014, Sturgeon was not sworn in until two days later. Leading bishops have drawn close to the SNP in the hope that they can influence it in matters crucial to church life, in what must be painful for Labour. [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. Sturgeon will remain in office until a successor is chosen. Nicola Sturgeon Resigns: What to Know, and What's Next for Scotland The worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 began during Sturgeon's second term as First Minister. [103], Sturgeon led the Scottish National Party through a landslide victory in the 2015 UK general election, winning 56 out of 59 Scottish seats at Westminster, the party's best ever performance. Fiona Hyslop and Richard Lochhead remained in their portfolios of culture secretary and rural affairs secretary, respectively. [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. 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. [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'. "The First Minister must stop hiding behind Boris Johnson," a spokesperson for the organisation said. 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. [171], In April 2021 Scotland's death toll from COVID-19 passed 10,000. [337], In 2016, Sturgeon disclosed that she had miscarried five years previously. Likewise, she also holds the leader of the Scottish National Party position. 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. There is no concrete proof that Lori is actually Jewish and she hasn't shared any information regarding her religious beliefs. [226][227] Some SNP members have urged Sturgeon to call an early election at Holyrood to speed up the process for a de facto referendum. Yet just like this makes it ironic for a Catholic to be ascending to lead Scottish Labour, the SNP is now being led by a flinty secularist. The official name is the Free Church of Scotland, and many devotees dislike the popular epithet of the "Wee Frees," with good grounds for arguing that the term is both outdated and sectarian. Nicola Sturgeon is the current (2015) First Minister. [215], Sturgeon officially announced that the referendum would be held on 19 October 2023. [22][23], The 1997 general election saw Sturgeon selected to fight the Glasgow Govan seat for the SNP. Can Sturgeon's bid to narrow the 'educational gap' survive austerity Kevin McKenna The first minister has praised the contribution of Catholic schools to 'modern Scotland' Nicola Sturgeon. 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. However, that decision is not for today. This means that Catholic electoral areas can expect to see divisions in the UK and Scottish elections of 2015 and 2016. Face masks were introduced in schools for the first time after Boris Johnson was told it was "not worth an argument" with Nicola Sturgeon over the issue, leaked files suggest. [307][308] In July 2019, the prime minister met Sturgeon at her official residence, Bute House, where Johnson was "booed and heckled" by protesters. She was unsuccessful, having been beaten by almost 15,000 votes by Labour. She is born into a family of four, including her . [55] Authorities in both Scotland and England stated that there were no plans to trace the fellow airline passengers who may have travelled alongside the couple, since the authorities do not classify them as "close contacts". The 50-year-old politician created history by being the first female Minister of Scotland. She was the Scottish National Party (SNP) Leader until her resignation on February 15 . [211] She argued that her government had an "indisputable mandate" for a second Scottish independence referendum. [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. The Fall of Nicola Sturgeon - Helen Dale [338], In May 2022, Sturgeon tested positive for COVID-19. ", "Scottish independence: referendum results live , "Nicola Sturgeon: 'Devo is route to independence', "Nicola Sturgeon launches campaign to succeed Alex Salmond", "Nicola Sturgeon predicts independence 'one day' as she launches bid to replace Alex Salmond", "BBC News Nicola Sturgeon backed by former SNP leader Gordon Wilson to replace Salmond", "Keith Brown and Stewart Hosie stand for SNP deputy leadership", "Angela Constance: 'I know why Yes campaign failed', "Nicola Sturgeon tops politician trust rating poll", "Sturgeon vows to be 'most accessible' first minister ever", "New SNP leadership team: Sturgeon and Hosie", "SNP conference: Nicola Sturgeon appointed party leader", "Resignation date of former First Minister and appointment date of current First Minister: FOI release", "Nicola Sturgeon is elected first minister of Scotland", "Nicola Sturgeon sworn in as First Minister", "Nicola Sturgeon hails her appointment as positive message to girls of Scotland", Nicola Sturgeon officially sworn in as Scotland's First Minister, "John Swinney set to become Deputy First Minister", "Nicola Sturgeon announces new Scottish cabinet", "Nicola Sturgeon announces Scottish cabinet with equal gender balance", "In constructing her first Cabinet, Nicola Sturgeon has shown a commitment to sending 'a strong, positive message to girls and young women', "BElection 2015: SNP wins 56 of 59 seats in Scots landslide", "How many Lib Dems have lost their seats in the 2015 general election? Nicola Sturgeon, best known for being a Politician, was born in Irvine, Scotland on Sunday, July 19, 1970. [43][44] He appointed Sturgeon as Deputy First Minister and tasked her with the Cabinet position of Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. Sturgeon was branded as "ungracious" when she was filmed by Sky News celebrating Swinson's defeat. She has described herself as being an austere teen whose style tended towards goth, adding that if you see pictures of me back then, you would struggle to know whether I was a boy or a girl. He spelled out the risks of partitioning Britain with so little elementary homework having been done. Perhaps Sturgeon knew her position lacked credibility so made up nonsense about 'anti-Catholic bigotry' without bothering to cite any evidence. [80] She also opined that Scottish independence was a matter of "when, not if". [246] Per head, Scotland's death rate among the homeless is the highest in Britain. Newark Catholic boys basketball flourishing in second season, reaches [134] It was the best result for the Scottish Conservatives since Margaret Thatcher and the party's campaign slogan, "We said No to independence. While it commended the authorities for preventing hospitals from becoming overwhelmed during the crisis, the watchdog also noted that recommendations from pandemic planning exercises in 2015, 2016 and 2018 had not been fully implemented. The paper was sent to the central British Government to be read by Prime Minister Theresa May. On Wednesday morning last week, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeonsometimes referred to as Scotland's "First Transactivist"resigned. [232], In January 2021, a former trans officer in the SNP's LGBT wing, Teddy Hope, quit the party, claiming it was one of the "core hubs of transphobia in Scotland". [220][221] She argued independence would be "essential" for economic prosperity for Scotland as she claimed the economic climate throughout the UK does not offer strength, stability or security. [82][83] It quickly became apparent that no other candidate would be able to receive enough required nominations to run a credible leadership campaign. [239] Sturgeon stated that she believed that her successor would lead Scotland to independence and that she would look on with pride whoever takes on the role. [237] Sturgeon refused to say if she regards Bryson as a man or woman, though she used female pronouns when talking about Bryson. ", "The triumph of Nicola Sturgeon | Ian Jack", "Nicola Sturgeon: 'The most dangerous woman in Britain? 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.