[68], While campaigning for a Yes vote in August 2013, she told The Guardian that if Scots voted for the Union: "Will there be another referendum round the corner? [132] Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, all plans for another referendum were put on hold. But the stridency of folk shedding their religious skins and looking for a substitute faith is unlikely to reconcile them to the rest of the Scottish nation. She is born into a family of four, including her . [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. 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. [216] She sought the Prime Minister to consent to the vote by signing a section 30 order, a move that Downing Street has refused to comply. You would need to be wired to the moon to think Nicola Sturgeon and her Government give two hoots about the teachings of the Catholic Church or the sensibilities of genuine Catholics. "[254], In 2021, Audit Scotland concluded that, "Progress on closing the poverty-related attainment gap between the most and least deprived school pupils has been limited"[255] and fell short of the Government's aims. [24] Shortly after this, Sturgeon was appointed as the SNP's spokesperson for energy and education matters. [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. This means that Catholic electoral areas can expect to see divisions in the UK and Scottish elections of 2015 and 2016. [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. [215], Sturgeon officially announced that the referendum would be held on 19 October 2023. "[148], Sturgeon led her party to a landslide victory in the 2019 United Kingdom general election in Scotland. The compromise had the support of Souter but an amendment to that effect was voted down by MSPs who expressed concerns it would stigmatise children from single parent and unmarried families. [306] Following Johnson's appointment as British prime minister, she claimed he "rambled" in his first speech outside 10 Downing Street and suggested he was "blame shifting". The SNP won 48 seats, and came second place in the 11 others; their 45% of the vote yielded 80% of the seats in Scotland. Is Nicola Sturgeon A Lesbian? Everything About Her - Halla News [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". [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. If any Irish politicians warned these people about the risks of independence, he would likely be told to mind his own business. The cosmopolitan outlook which membership of a vibrant world faith gave to Scots Catholics is fading. The move is prompting a new conversations about trans rights, independence and Jacinda Ardern. [272], An advocate for Scottish independence, Sturgeon has campaigned for independence from the United Kingdom since her late teens. These are the heartlands of a community once defined by deep Catholic loyalties. [76] Following the defeat of the Yes Scotland campaign, Salmond announced his resignation as First Minister and Leader of the SNP. [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. She raised these with the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government, Leslie Evans, two months later, rather than reporting them immediately, as she should have done if they constitute government matters (as per the ministerial code). 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. "[207][208][209][210], In June 2022, Sturgeon officially announced her plan for Scottish independence once again. [citation needed], Sturgeon attended Dreghorn Primary School from 1975 to 1982 and Greenwood Academy from 1982 to 1988. [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. She served successively as the SNP's shadow minister for education, health, and justice. Nicola Sturgeon will resign from her first minister post, she announced Wednesday. I owe the Daily Mail big time for that', "Most dangerous woman in Britain or Queen of Scotland? On 15 February 2023, Sturgeon announced her intention to resign the leadership of the SNP and as First Minister. [188] The letter represented a significant shift in policy for the SNP, which had historically been a strong supporter of the oil and gas industry; the party's blueprint for an independent Scotland in 2013 was predicated on tax revenue earned from domestic oil production, while Sturgeon had predicted in the run-up to the referendum that, "Were on the verge of another North Sea bonanza". Sturgeon said there were "lots of lessons to learn". [citation needed]. [243] In December 2020 figures were released revealing that 1,264 people in Scotland had died from drug overdoses in 2019 the highest number in Europe per head and more than double the number in 2014. [33] As Salmond was still an MP in the House of Commons, Sturgeon led the SNP at the Scottish Parliament until the 2007 election, when Salmond was elected as an MSP. [224][225] Unionist parties have rejected this characterisation. [202][203][204], Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament of her "deep regret" that islanders were enduring such chaos and said that the Government was "learning lessons from this experience". Is Nicola Sturgeon A Catholic | Latest In Bollywood- News [335][336], Her mother Joan was the SNP Provost of North Ayrshire council, where she was councillor for the Irvine East ward from 2007 until 2016. 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. 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. [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. ", "IFS: Independent Scotland 'would face continued austerity' under Growth Commission proposals", "Is post-referendum Scotland a feminist paradise? [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. 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. [126] May's comments confirmed that the PM wanted the Scottish government to be "fully engaged" in the process. [65], In 2012 she pledged to build a high-speed railway line between Glasgow and Edinburgh by 2024, cutting journey times between the two cities to under 30 minutes. Sturgeon was branded as "ungracious" when she was filmed by Sky News celebrating Swinson's defeat. Absolutely not, there's no man I know who is less sexist. [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. [27], On 22 June 2004, John Swinney resigned as Leader of the SNP following poor results in the European Parliament election. [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. [42] Ultimately, Salmond formed a minority government and he was appointed First Minister of Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon Resigns as Scotland's First Minister, Citing Toll of "The basic values of integrity and decency - essential to the proper working of any parliamentary democracy - demand that he go," she tweeted. Nicola Sturgeon | Biography, Facts, & Scottish Independence [140], On 15 January 2019, the Scottish Parliament agreed to hold its own inquiry into the matter, the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints,[141] to investigate how the Government breached its own guidelines in its original investigation into the harassment claims against Salmond, and then lost a judicial review into their actions and had to pay over 500,000 to Salmond for legal expenses. [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". [247], In August 2021 the Scottish Government announced there had been 1,339 drug deaths in the previous year a new record high. Nicola Sturgeon blasted Rangers revellers for their anti-Catholic rampage Credit: Reuters. Nicola Sturgeon Catholic Archives - Wealthy Peeps Early life and political career [265] With London seeking to restrict immigration to the United Kingdom, she asserted that Scotland should be able to set its own immigration policy, as well as policies relating to employment and trade. "[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. nicola sturgeon - Catholic Parliamentary Office [56][57], On 11 June, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the influenza virus a pandemic. A second example would be the Named Person Act, which requires every Scottish child up to age 18 to have a guardian appointed by the state to huge opposition from churches including the Catholics. [citation needed], In the mid-1990s Sturgeon and Charles Kennedy went together on a political study visit to Australia. 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". Sturgeon - who had previously apologised to the Scottish Parliament after she was caught breaking the same law in December 2020[176] - apologised once more and said the police had been "absolutely right to treat me no differently to any other citizen. A seat short of a majority in 2021, Sturgeon became the first first minister to serve a third term, and she subsequently entered a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens. [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". Boundary changes meant that the notional Labour majority in the seat had increased substantially. During the referendum campaign, cult-like Yes rallies in Glasgow housing estates were conventions of zealotry (I attended my fair share, but the Scottish media mainly overlooked them). The first confirmed case of the virus in Scotland was announced on 1 March 2020, when a resident in Tayside had tested positive. The down side is that you just end up talking about it all the time and you never leave it outside. [236], Sturgeon has campaigned against replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system. Immediately after the referendum he released an embarrassingly toadying statement praising Alex Salmond and then welcomed the new First Minister Nicola Sturgeon with unprecedented over-eagerness . Feb 15, 2023 Nicola Sturgeon appears like her religion is Christianity. A dispersal order had to be issued as officers in riot gear battled with boozed-up fans refusing to leave . The SNP continued to enjoy this electoral success throughout Sturgeon's eight years in office. She also served as a member of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee and the Health and Community Care Committee. On Wednesday morning last week, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeonsometimes referred to as Scotland's "First Transactivist"resigned. [337], In 2016, Sturgeon disclosed that she had miscarried five years previously. The victims of drugs and their families were failed. [309][310] This was the only occasion when he made a formal visit to Edinburgh as he declined future invites by the first minister. Nicola Sturgeon slams anti-Catholic bigotry as parades commission Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. 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. and Duran Duran, and enjoyed spending Saturday nights at Frostys Ice Disco in Irvine. [82][83] It quickly became apparent that no other candidate would be able to receive enough required nominations to run a credible leadership campaign.