Nicola Sturgeon has announced that she will be resigning as leader of the Scottish National Party after more than 8 years in the role. A source close to the SNP leader said she had “had enough”. Ms Sturgeon is set to speak at a hastily-arranged press conference from her residence at Bute House in Edinburgh at 11am.
Ms Sturgeon became the country’s longest-serving first minister after more than 8 years in the role.
She took over as the party leader in November 2014 after the SNP’s failed independence referendum, taking over from Alex Salmond.
Just weeks ago, the SNP leader told the BBC that she had “plenty left in the tank”.
Reacting to the news, Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central and the party’s home affairs spokesperson, said she was “absolutely gutted”.
Writing on Twitter, she paid tribute to Ms Sturgeon, whom she described as an “incredible leader”.
Ms Sturgeon has faced mounting pressure in recent weeks after the SNP’s controversial Gender Reform Act was blocked by Westminster.
The legislation, passed by Holyrood in December 2022, would have removed the requirement for trans people to have a medical diagnosis before obtaining a certificate confirming their preferred gender.
Westminster’s decision to block the bill from going for royal assent is the first time the veto has been used.
The row escalated further after trans woman Isla Bryson was sentenced for two rapes that were committed prior to her gender change.
Former party leader Alex Salmond accused Ms Sturgeon of having “thrown away” years of campaigning for Scottish independence over her controversial trans laws.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was forced to come to Holyrood last month to state that no transgender prisoner with a history of violence against women would be placed in a female prison.
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