[119] By the end of that week, on 30 March 2017, Sturgeon wrote to the Prime Minister requesting a Section 30 order, formally devolving the responsibility and power to the Scottish Government to plan for and hold another referendum on Scottish Independence. Labour refused to support the bill as they claimed it failed to tackle windfall profit from alcohol retailers. 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. This also made her First Minister-Designate, given the SNP's absolute majority in the Scottish Parliament. [265] In recent years, following the defeat of the Yes Scotland campaign in 2014 Scottish Independence referendum, Sturgeon has aligned herself with the new gradualist wing, who believe in only holding a second referendum if there is clear public support, such as polling being over 60%, or if there is a material change in circumstances. [211], In the late 2010s, Scottish islanders began to complain that the ageing ferry fleet that connected them to the mainland had become increasingly unreliable. [20] Sturgeon was shy and has said that she "much preferred to sit with my head in a book than talking to people". [60] 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 FM may be a wee wummin but she is head and shoulders above Boris, the bumbling buffoon who splutters and stutters and staggers his way from one crisis to the next. Sturgeon grew up in Prestwick and in the village of Dreghorn, in a terraced council house, which her parents bought through the right-to-buy scheme.[19]. We are now closer to our objective of independence than ever before, and what happens in the next few months will be crucial to attaining that objective. She joined the SNP following an assumption by her English teacher, who was a Labour councillor, she would be a Labour supporter. This followed her admitting that she had a secret meeting and subsequent phone call with Salmond about the Scottish government's allegations against him. [240][241] 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. Sarwar did, however, win the seat with a majority of 2,914 votes. SUPPORT JOURNALISM. [17] Her family has some roots in North East England; her paternal grandmother, Margaret Sturgeon (ne Mill) was from Ryhope in what is now the City of Sunderland. Her nicknames were 'Nippy Sweetie' (Scots for a brassy, over-ambitious young woman) and 'Gnasher', which stemmed from the rumour denied by Sturgeon that she had once injured an unfaithful. [266] 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. Sturgeon led the Scottish Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland, implementing a series of restrictions on social gatherings and rolling out the vaccine programme. [259], Sturgeon had previously stripped Trump of his ambassadorial role for Scottish businesses with the Scottish Government in the aftermath of Trump's views of an outright ban of Muslims from entering the United States. In her new role Sturgeon oversaw the legislative process for the 2014 referendum on Scottish Independence and she was in charge of the SNP's referendum campaign. [117] 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. [53], As Health Secretary, Sturgeon became more widely known internationally for her handling of the 2009 flu pandemic. That said, it also led Mr Salmond to resign and Ms Sturgeon became the new leader after facing no opposition. [237][238], In October 2022, Sturgeon launched her government's third independence paper, which outlines the currency in an independent Scotland and joining the EU. In the 2016 UK referendum on European Union membership, voters in Scotland voted by 62% to remain in the European Union, despite Brexit receiving 52% of the vote across the UK. They announced their engagement on 29 January 2010,[318] and were married on 16 July 2010 at ran Mr in Glasgow. Nicola Sturgeon has been nicknamed "the Nictator" (a portmanteau of her name "Nicola" and "dictator") as a result of her establishing a police state in Scotland. [48][49] He appointed Sturgeon as Deputy First Minister and tasked her with the Cabinet position of Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. [173] Sturgeon sacked her Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick and in April 2021 said of the crisis: "I think we took our eye off the ball. Sturgeon admitted that these results were "bitterly disappointing" and acknowledged that her party's plans for a second referendum were 'undoubtedly' a factor in the election results. It is a scar on the conscience of this Scottish Government. [293][294] In July 2019, the prime minister met Sturgeon at her official residence, Bute House, where Johnson was "booed and heckled" by protesters. Niko Nickname. [89] During the speech launching her campaign, Sturgeon announced that she would resign as Depute Leader, triggering a concurrent depute leadership election; the MSPs Angela Constance and Keith Brown and the MP Stewart Hosie all nominated themselves to succeed Sturgeon as Depute Leader. We feel we are being lied to. [234] This plan has been met with condemnation from various opposing parties, with the Prime Minister rejecting her plan. 3: Robert Aderholt and Alabama's 4th District", "Sturgeon backs Catalan referendum calls", "Iain Macwhirter: Madrid should have learned the lesson of the Scottish independence referendum", "Nicola Sturgeon has first audience with the Queen", "First Minister Nicola Sturgeon leads Scottish tributes to Queen", "First Minister Nicola Sturgeon: 'The Queen was special to Scotland', "Nicola Sturgeon attacks 'Westminster austerity economics', "What's in the SNP's growth commission report? The Scottish First Minister said she hadn't heard of the nickname before but claimed the alleged remark is "meant as a term of abuse". SNP convener Derek Mackay publicly congratulated Sturgeon as de facto leader in waiting, saying that she would be "a fantastic new leader" for both the SNP and for Scotland. ", "Moray: 'We are fed up with the SNP. [273][274], Sturgeon has also campaigned on women's rights and gender equality, and is a self-described feminist; she has argued that Scotland's feminist movement is not simply symbolic, but "sends a powerful signal about equality". [201][202], 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. [15][16] Her younger sister, Gillian Sturgeon, is an NHS worker. [107] She formed her second cabinet and re-appointed Swinney as her deputy. She is the third daughter of electrician Robin and dental nurse Joan , who was an SNP councillor in the Ayrshire town. Quite simply, I would not have been able to do what I have in politics without his constant advice, guidance and support through all these years. She says she has been targeted by a 'very partisan leak'. A distraction from the dire state . I try (tho don't alway", "Nicola Sturgeon miscarriage: First minister reveals baby loss", President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicola_Sturgeon&oldid=1133020410, This page was last edited on 11 January 2023, at 22:31. She once addressed the name and told journalists. 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. "Based on this experience, Health Protection Scotland has expressed the view that sustained community transmission appears to be taking place. [235], Sturgeon officially announced that the referendum would be held on 19 October 2023. [275] She has hailed Scottish feminist economist Ailsa McKay as one of her inspirations. While the UK voted for Brexit, Scotland to remain and Ms Sturgeon capitalised on this to push for a second referendum on Scottish independence, informally referred to as IndyRef2. [198], 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. Therefore, my fellow nationalists, I urge you to unite and pull together to win our independence in inderef2. The down side is that you just end up talking about it all the time and you never leave it outside. [120] Previously, May and David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland, have both highlighted that as the negotiations begin with the European Union on the United Kingdom's withdraw, it is important for Scotland to work with the UK Government to get the best exit deal for both the United Kingdom and Scotland, stating that "now is not the time for another referendum".[121]. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? Please report any comments that break our rules. The national mission is failing. Sturgeon stood for election to the Scottish Parliament in the first Scottish Parliament election in 1999 as the SNP candidate for Glasgow Govan. Speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2017, Ms Sturgeonhinted at a sexist double-standard where she was being criticised for this type of behaviour when men were not. [323], In 2016, Sturgeon disclosed that she had miscarried five years previously. So thats why weve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. [303][304], At the beginning of Sturgeon's political career, she was often regarded as a "nippy sweetie", Scottish slang for the "sharp-tongued and strong-minded". [319] Reflecting on her marriage in 2012, Sturgeon told The Daily Record: "Being in the same kind of line of work has its up sides and its down sides. 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