Jacinda Ardern likens her experience of politics to Nicola Sturgeon's

The former prime minister of New Zealand spoke at Glasgow Film Theatre

The former prime minister of New Zealand has likened her experience of politics to that of Scotland's former first minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Dame Jacinda Ardern, was speaking on a visit to Glasgow Film Theatre on Friday, after a screening of a documentary film about her life as PM.

Ms Ardern, who exited politics after leading her country's Labour Party until 2023, told the audience that it was not the "right place to spend my energy".

Sturgeon, who resigned as first minister in 2023, previously praised Ardern's "empathy, courage and intelligence" during a review of her memoir.

The documentary, titled 'Prime Minister', covers how Ms Ardern she dealt with the Covid pandemic, the Christchurch mosque shooting and becoming a mother.

She told the Glasgow audience that she hoped the film would help humanise politicians.

After the screening, a Q&A session was hosted by Kezia Dugdale - former leader of Scottish Labour.

Jacinda Ardern answered questions from Kezia Dugdale

She asked Ms Ardern about how she grew weary of the "politics of politics" and how it compared to Nicola Sturgeon's experience.

"It is so unrelenting that I think five years can feel like 10," Ms Ardern said.

"You're in an environment where the news will break in the early morning, you need a response by mid-morning, you need to have solved it by mid-afternoon.

"Otherwise there'll be that instantaneous reaction and then that demand for political responses."

Ms Ardern said she was spending all her energy on politics.

She added: "It wasn't the right place to spend my energy. I couldn't unshackle that.

"It was so much a part of the system, and I wonder if that was Nicola Sturgeon's experience."

Ardern also revealed to the audience that her memoir 'A Different Kind of Power', was almost named Fortitude, as a nod to her Scottish clan Macrae heritage.

Clan Macrae's motto is Fortitudine, which is Latin for with fortitude.

She said her grandmother was from Bathgate and she planned to visit the West Lothian town during her Scotland trip.

The Glasgow event was Ms Ardern's only in-person screening of Prime Minister outside of London.

The documentary won the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

It will be released in cinemas nationwide on December 5.