[108][109], Sturgeon launched, in what she claimed, as the most bold, ambitious and reforming SNP manifesto for the 2016 Scottish Parliament election. Overall, it concluded that ministers "could have been better prepared to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic". The event has been described as being like the birth of a megachurch rather than a conventional political rally, in which new members were inducted into the political faith. This followed her admitting that she had had a secret meeting and subsequent phone call with Salmond about the Scottish government's allegations against him. [317][318], 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". [100], The departure of Kenny MacAskill and Michael Russell signalled a generational shift away from the 79 group. [161] Many had been infected with the virus and ended up passing it on to other care home residents. [271] The Government of Spain criticised Sturgeon, claiming she had "totally misunderstood" the situation in Spain and Catalonia. [271] Sturgeon highlighted that Spain should follow "the shining example" that was created as part of the Edinburgh Agreement between the Scottish and British Governments that allowed Scotland to hold a legally binding referendum. [215], Sturgeon officially announced that the referendum would be held on 19 October 2023. "[291][292], Ahead of the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Sturgeon pledged to review and reform the way that trans people change their legal gender. Nicola was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on July 9, 1970. 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. [110] She set out the party's plans to increase income tax by freezing tax thresholds, reversing her previous policy of cutting taxes for higher earners. [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. Sturgeon became a high-profile figure in Scottish politics and often clashed with First Minister Jack McConnell at First Minister's Questions. [82][83] It quickly became apparent that no other candidate would be able to receive enough required nominations to run a credible leadership campaign. [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. Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. 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. On 15 February 2023, Sturgeon announced her intention to resign the leadership of the SNP and as First Minister. She also served as a member of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee and the Health and Community Care Committee. and Duran Duran, and enjoyed spending Saturday nights at Frostys Ice Disco in Irvine. [3][4] She entered office amid a rapid surge in membership of the SNP and this was reflected in the party's performance in the 2015 general election, when it ended Labour's thirty year electoral dominance of Scottish Westminster seats, as it won 56 of the 59 seats and replaced the Liberal Democrats as the third-largest party in the British House of Commons. Sturgeon apologised for being overexcited although expressed that she was celebrating Amy Callaghan's win. [53] Sturgeon stated that there was "no immediate threat to public health in Scotland", but added, "monitoring of those who have been in close contact with the two people is also being carried out as an additional precaution. [309][310] This was the only occasion when he made a formal visit to Edinburgh as he declined future invites by the first minister. There is no concrete proof that Lori is actually Jewish and she hasn't shared any information regarding her religious beliefs. [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". Their neighbourhoods are shared with people who adhere to a Protestant culture, but they are less likely to have been at the crest of the SNP wave. "[207][208][209][210], In June 2022, Sturgeon officially announced her plan for Scottish independence once again. [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". It would indeed be ironic if this Hibernian invasion of the SNP proved the wake-up call that reinforced the determination of many other Scots to strain every sinew to hold the union together. She is born into a family of four, including her . ", "IFS: Independent Scotland 'would face continued austerity' under Growth Commission proposals", "Is post-referendum Scotland a feminist paradise? She served successively as the SNP's shadow minister for education, health, and justice. Yes, I think that is true. [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". [211] She argued that her government had an "indisputable mandate" for a second Scottish independence referendum. University of Bradford provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK. [1][2] She is the longest-serving first minister of Scotland. 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. The move is prompting a new conversations about trans rights, independence and Jacinda Ardern. [167], In February 2021 Audit Scotland published a report that concluded the Scottish Government had not prepared adequately for a pandemic. She launched her programme for government, the Better Health, Better Care: Action Plan, which settled a new vision for NHS Scotland. She led the Scottish Government's response, implementing a series of restrictions on social gatherings and rolling out the vaccine programme. Furthermore, they concluded that the Scottish Government had awarded the contracts without normal financial safeguards and presided over a "multitude of failings". They are more likely to be within a splintered and increasingly post-religious community rather than between Orange and Green factions. [142][143] Sturgeon's husband, Peter Murrell, was called to this inquiry to give evidence on 8 December 2020. However, that decision is not for today. [311][312][313] Sturgeon claimed Johnson's "fragile male ego" stopped him from meeting her. The up side is that Peter understands what's going on and why I am late home all the time. [65], In December 2012, Sturgeon said that she believed that independence would allow Scotland to build a stronger and more competitive country, and would change spending priorities to address "the scandal of soaring poverty in a country as rich as Scotland". Sturgeon said there were "lots of lessons to learn". Nicola Sturgeon Speaking At National Economic Forum (Source: Instagram) We have worked hard to make sure that supplies are there, weve worked hard overcoming challenges that we have faced along the way. ", "Election 2015: SNP wins 56 of 59 seats in Scots landslide", "Nicola Sturgeon crowned 'Politician of the Year', "Nicola Sturgeon ranked second most powerful woman in UK", "Nicola Sturgeon tops Woman's Hour power list", "Nicola Sturgeon announces wedding plans", "Nicola Sturgeon ties the knot but she won't be calling herself Mrs Murrell", "Nicola Sturgeon spills the beans on her home life as she reveals she's a disaster in the kitchen - Daily Record", "Nicola Sturgeon discusses favourite books with author Maggie O'Farrell | The Scotsman", " I love reading - it gives me a lot of joy and helps with the stresses and strains of work. She unveiled her new plan arguing that it would allow Scotland to set out "a different and better vision"[212][213] and claimed that there is a legally secure path to get a referendum without permission from the cabinet. [297][298], In the 2021 SNP manifesto, Sturgeon committed the party once again to reform the Gender Recognition Act[233] and in August that year included the commitment in her agreement with the Scottish Greens on power-sharing. Despite being a Roman Catholic, some of his roughest receptions were in places with deep Irish associations such as Motherwell. Despite losing her majority, Sturgeon secured a second term in office, forming a minority government. [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. 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. [184], In August 2021, Sturgeon and Scottish Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater announced a power-sharing agreement between their parties. "[275], Following the death of the Queen Elizabeth II, Sturgeon led tributes to the Queen. Michael Matheson was promoted asjustice secretary. In the same interview, Sturgeon committed to no independence referendum being held prior to the terms of a UK wide Brexit deal being agreed and presented. [64], At the 2011 election, the SNP won a large overall majority. 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. He has been my friend, mentor and colleague for more than 20 years. [174][175] The following week Sturgeon received an official reprimand from Police Scotland after a video emerged of her campaigning in a barber shop without a mask. [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. [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. As of 2023, Nicola Sturgeon is possibly single. [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. Nicola Sturgeon condemns recent vandalism at St Simon's Partick at First Minister Questions today May 2nd. 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? Sturgeon kicked off her election campaign pledging that a strong result for the SNP would "reinforce" her mandate for a second independence referendum. Yet many Scots Catholics were for a long time at ease with Britishness. [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. [130] Previously, May and David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland, had both highlighted that as the negotiations began with the European Union on the United Kingdom's withdraw, it was 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".[131]. On 15 February 2023, Sturgeon announced that she would resign as first minister and SNP leader once a new leader is elected. [327], Forbes magazine ranked Sturgeon as the 50th most powerful woman in the world in 2016 and 2nd in the United Kingdom. The national mission is failing. [281][282], 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". "[69], In November 2013, Sturgeon joined Salmond to launch Scotland's Future - the Scottish Government's prospectus for independence. [240], In 2016 the Scottish Government cut direct funding to drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes from 69.2 million to 53.8 million a drop of 22%. [89], Sturgeon was formally acclaimed as the first female Leader of the SNP on 14 November 2014 at the Autumn Conference in Perth, with Hosie as her depute. She became the youngest ever parliamentary candidate in Scotland in the 1992 general election. I hated everything she stood for. [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. [248] Sturgeon tweeted that the figures were "unacceptable, each one a human tragedy",[249] while the Scottish Liberal Democrats said: "It was Nicola Sturgeon's choice to ignore this unfolding epidemic. She also said that the result "renews, reinforces and strengthens" the mandate for Indyref2.[154]. ", "BBC NEWS | Election 2007 | Scottish Parliament | Election Result: Glasgow Govan", "Salmond prepares for SNP minority government", "Better Health, Better Care: Action Plan", "Sturgeon to reverse A&E closure decision", "Scottish government confirms plans to scrap prescription charges", "Prescription charges abolished in Scotland", "Swine influenza Health Protection Agency update", "WHO | World now at the start of 2009 influenza pandemic", "UK plays down swine flu pandemic implications", "Scottish death marks Europe's first H1N1 fatality", "Scottish minimum alcohol pricing passed by parliament", "Scottish cabinet reshuffle: Nicola Sturgeon given new independence role", "High-speed rail plan for Glasgow to Edinburgh line", "High speed Glasgow-Edinburgh rail link plans 'shelved', "Scottish independence would allow economy to grow, says Sturgeon", "Nicola Sturgeon interview: 'I do believe Scotland can be better off', "Scottish independence: Referendum White Paper unveiled", "Independence referendum: Nicola Sturgeon accuses Westminister of bullying over currency", "Scottish minister Nicola Sturgeon hits back over sterling threat", "Scottish independence: Barroso says joining EU would be 'difficult', "Sturgeon warns Europeans could lose right to stay", "UK minister: Sturgeon used EU nationals as bargaining chips", "Scottish independence referendum: final results in full", "Scottish referendum results: As Alex Salmond steps down, Nicola Sturgeon waits for her chance to lead", "Alex Salmond Resigns: Will SNP Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Replace Him? She also served as Cabinet Secretary for Health, Infrastructure, and Parliament. [31] The majority of the SNP hierarchy lent their support to the SalmondSturgeon bid for the leadership, although MSP Alex Neil backed Salmond as leader, but refused to endorse Sturgeon as depute. Her second term was dominated by the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum, when the UK voted to leave the European Union, in spite of 62% of votes in Scotland backing remaining in the EU. She insisted her resignation was not as result of "short term pressures", such as the ferry fiasco, the gender recognition reform bill, transgender prisoners, or the police fraud inquiry into SNP finances, but stated that the job "takes its toll on you". There was, however, significant public opposition to repeal and an unscientific postal vote on the issue organised by SNP donor Brian Souter suggested most Scots wanted to keep the clause. However, the details regarding her belief remain unknown as she has never opened up about it with the press. "[98], Sturgeon began making appointments to her first cabinet on 21 November 2014, beginning with the appointment of finance secretary John Swinney to become her Deputy First Minister. We meant it", resonated in areas that had voted strongly for the Union in 2014. The cosmopolitan outlook which membership of a vibrant world faith gave to Scots Catholics is fading. The First Minister stated:"Anti-Catholic discrimin. [314][315], Sturgeon's attempts to request approval for a second referendum on Scottish independence were declined by the Johnson administration. 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. [48], As Health Secretary, Sturgeon became more widely known internationally for her handling of the 2009 flu pandemic. Across Scotland, 62% of voters backed the UK remaining a member of the EU, with 38% voting for the UK to leave. [citation needed] During her time at the University of Glasgow she was active as a member of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association and the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council. According to one poll, just 31% of non Catholics backed independence compared with no less than 57% of Catholics. Nicola Sturgeon's Enthusiastic Talk on Catholic Schools Leaked To Catholic Truth! Is Nicola Sturgeon Catholic - What Is Her Religion? On 24 June, Sturgeon said she would communicate to all EU member states that Scotland had voted to stay in the EU. [185] As part of the agreement, the Green Party co-leaders would be nominated to serve as ministers. Speaking at the annual Cardinal Winning Lecture at the University of . [133] However, the SNP lost 21 seats in the 2017 United Kingdom general election in Scotland and the party's vote dropped by 13%, although they remained the biggest party in Scotland. [42] Ultimately, Salmond formed a minority government and he was appointed First Minister of Scotland. [30], However, once Cunningham emerged as the favourite to win,[30] Salmond announced his intention to stand for the leadership; Sturgeon subsequently withdrew from the contest and declared her support for Salmond, standing instead as his running mate for the depute leadership. [129] 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. Within weeks of the referendum, Glasgow had a near five-fold rise in SNP membership and nearby Motherwell and Coatbridge had six-fold increases. Professor Emeritus of Politics, University of Bradford. 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. [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. What religion are the Bee Gees? 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". Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. Home Posts Tagged "is nicola sturgeon a catholic" Browsing: is nicola sturgeon a catholic. "[165] Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament in July, "At no point within this crisis has Scotland run out of any aspect of PPE. Born in Ayrshire, Sturgeon is a law graduate of the University of Glasgow, having worked as a solicitor in Glasgow before her election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. [25] Although she failed to win the seat, she was placed first in the SNP's regional list for the Glasgow region, and was thus elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament.