Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s Leader, Says She Will Step Down in Surprise Move

[Aristotle Pickett]

LONDON — Nicola Sturgeon, the leader of Scotland’s government and a fiery campaigner for Scottish independence, said on Wednesday in a surprise announcement that she would resign, declaring that after more than eight years in office she was exhausted and had become too polarizing a figure to lead Scotland’s divisive politics effectively.

“Is carrying on right for me?” Ms. Sturgeon said at a hastily scheduled news conference in Edinburgh. “And more important, is me carrying on right for my country, my party, and for the independence cause I have spent my life fighting for?”

“I’ve reached the difficult conclusion that it’s not,” she concluded.

Ms. Sturgeon’s abrupt resignation removes one of the most visible figures from British politics — a skilled veteran of the United Kingdom’s system of power sharing, a sure-handed leader during Scotland’s ordeal with the coronavirus pandemic, and perhaps the most outspoken advocate of Scotland breaking away from the union.

But in recent weeks, Ms. Sturgeon, 52, had become embroiled in a dispute over the Scottish government’s policy on gender recognition. Britain’s Parliament rejected legislation from Scotland’s Parliament making it easier for people to change their gender. The debate over the issue erupted after a convicted rapist and transgender woman, Isla Bryson, was incarcerated in a women’s prison.

Scotland’s Leader Nicola Sturgeon Says She Will Step Down in Surprise Move (Published 2023)

Ms. Sturgeon, a longtime champion of Scottish independence, has been first minister since 2014.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Todman]

In a short interview over which she failed to explain why some trans women will be housed in womens prisons and why other trans women will be housed in mens prisons.

This comes after Britain’s Parliament rejected legislation from Scotland’s Parliament making it easier for people to change their gender. The debate over the issue erupted after a convicted rapist and transgender woman, Isla Bryson, was incarcerated in a women’s prison.

What a hill to die on.

 

[Satan]

Been arrested

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

Been arrested

Crikey

 

[FurTheWin]

I wouldn't pay too much attention to post #2, Ari, that's just some old cooker who watches bad English news shows.

So, what do we know?
Sturgeon has been arrested, questioned and released without charge as part of an investigation involving 600 grands worth of campaign contributions to the SNP.
Her husband and the SNP treasurer have also previously been questioned and released without charge. Those two both resigned from the party. Sturgeon has not resigned and new leader Humza is standing by her.

Does this have something to do with her decision to quit as leader?
Possibly, but it's equally possible that she felt she'd gone as far as she could after her attempt to get another independence referendum going was overuled.

FWIW it seems unlikely to me that she personally has been on the take.
She's always come across as a woman with integrity who has worked hard to do the best for the Scottish people.

 

[Ballarat Bob]

Not sure if this is just poor internal financial controls in the SNP or something more sinister. Be interesting to see how the voters see the SNP now . Not convinced by the independence movement never really got a significant majority of support and a lot of details about how it would be funded were never addressed.