Adam Fleming
Newscast presenter

The Newscast team assembled for an episode to mark Nicola Sturgeon's resignation.

I thought her speech was a classic Sturgeon performance: an ambitious call to reform politics, an honest account of her emotions, then what some would describe as arrogance as she referred to herself in the third person and said some people love her.

Political Editor Chris Mason listened to the speech on a scenic railway journey. "Cor blimey" was his characteristic reaction.

The timing of the announcement surprised him but not the content because Sturgeon's advisers hadn't done much lately to shut down speculation about her future.

Scotland Editor James Cook explained how the combination of reforms to gender recognition certificates and an upcoming conference about the party's position on independence had damaged her.

Jim Naughtie - BBC special correspondent and walking encyclopaedia of Scotland - reckons Nicola Sturgeon's journey towards the exit began with the rupture between her and her mentor Alex Salmond.

And political correspondent Alex Forsyth says the other political parties will see a big opportunity opening up to challenge the SNP's dominance.

Listen to Newscast's 'Resignationcast: Nicola Sturgeon' here.

The SNP has announced it is entering a nomination and ballot phase to elect a successor to Nicola Sturgeon

The National Executive Committee will determine a timetable for that process and announce that shortly.

Here's some of the rules within the constitution of the SNP:

• to be validly nominated, a candidate requires the indicated backing of at least 100 members
• these must be drawn from at least 20 different SNP branches
• those seeking nomination will be able to gather those indications of support from members via my.snp.org

All SNP members as of today and who still hold a valid membership at the ballot deadline, will be eligible to vote in any ballot.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland's former health secretary, Jeane Freeman, has told BBC Radio Scotland that the atmosphere in politics, particularly for prominent women, is abusive and misogynistic.

"It is relentless and no matter how hard you try to not absorb the unfair, the negative, the downright abusive comments that you do get, inevitably that has an impact on you and your family," she says.

"As a woman, undoubtedly the first minister has received abuse at its purest, misogynistic. There is no question about it. She gets abuse because she is a woman that a man in that position would not receive.

"I think there is a real risk that it will become the worse for it. It is up to people like you, me and elected politicians in particular to not allow that to happen – to focus on why you’re in the job you’re in."

The prime minister says he and Nicola Sturgeon "did not agree on everything" but they did work together to announce two freeports in Scotland, which would attract investment and jobs.

Image source, EPA

Former prime minister Tony Blair has become another political heavyweight to send his support to the first minister following her resignation.

He said in a statement, external: "Nicola Sturgeon has been a dominant figure in Scottish and UK politics for more than 20 years, fighting for her beliefs with undoubted passion and commitment.

"I wish her well in the future."

Mr Blair has occasionally shared his views on Ms Sturgeon's visions for Scotland over the years, including another independence referendum.

Back in 2017, Sturgeon praised the “quality of analysis and argument” in a speech Blair made, where he claimed the argument for Scottish independence had become "much more credible" since the Brexit vote a year earlier.

Will the SNP use this moment to break from old leadership structures?published at 17:33 Greenwich Mean Time 15 February 2023

17:33 GMT 15 February 2023

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Image source, PA Media

The SNP has not had a true leadership contest for almost 20 years.

Nicola Sturgeon was always a stick-on to take over from Alex Salmond, and ran unopposed in 2014.

The question is whether the party takes this moment to make a clean break from old leadership structures.

Do they stick with figures from the same group who have been running the SNP since the 1990s – like Angus Robertson and John Swinney?

Or do they look to a new generation who were born in the 1990s, like Kate Forbes and Mairi McAllan?

There is also a question about the power-couple management of the SNP itself.

Peter Murrell has been chief executive throughout those 20 years of continuity – will he be joining his wife in seeking pastures new?

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

Among the possible candidates to replace the first minister is Justice Secretary Keith Brown.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, he declined to discuss any potential candidates because "today is about Nicola Sturgeon".

He praised her "extraordinary" track record and dismissed the view that one issue had led to her resignation - as she had faced a number of issues in her eight years of leadership "fearlessly".

Mr Brown was also asked about the SNP's special conference on 19 March to discuss its strategy on independence. The party's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said the event should be cancelled.

Although Mr Brown said there was a "huge amount of interest" in the subject across the party, he said it was a decision for the SNP's National Executive Committee.

Image source, PA Media

Jack McConnell tells Radio Scotland's Drivetime he'd like to thank Nicola Sturgeon for her service to Scotland.

The former Labour first minister says she brought dignity back to the office after controversial incidents involving her predecessor, Alex Salmond.

McConnell adds: "And she's left with dignity today."

He says he thinks Sturgeon has made the right decision and she had become a polarising figure.

There is a "really toxic atmosphere around" in Scottish politics and a build up of misogyny recently he tells Radio Scotland.

The former SNP leader and First Minister for Scotland, Alex Salmond, speaks of his surprise at hearing of Nicola Sturgeon's resignation.

Mr Salmond now heads up Alba, a rival pro-Independence party, after splitting from the SNP following a row with Ms Sturgeon.

Sturgeon hopes to define her own legacypublished at 17:06 Greenwich Mean Time 15 February 2023

17:06 GMT 15 February 2023

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

When Nicola Sturgeon set out her reasons for exiting the first minister’s office she also picked out achievements to define her legacy.

It’s striking how much they focus on children and women. The extension of childcare entitlement in Scotland has been a slow burning policy, eating up a lot of available resources.

She cited The Promise, external, a set of pledges to children with experience of being in care.

“That cause got under my skin and into my heart in a way that few other issues did during my time as first minister,” she told journalists.

As she moves to the backbenches, she has signalled her intent to support of the victims of domestic violence.

She cited the more progressive choices around the tax and welfare powers devolved to Holyrood during her term – again, skewed towards children. Tax on higher earners has gone up, helping fund higher welfare benefits for families with children.

Her record on closing educational attainment gap improved the chances of school leavers from deprived backgrounds getting to university. But the wider project on education has not been delivered.

Then there are the issues not addressed. Sturgeon’s prime motivation in politics was not the economy, but her legacy is likely to feature wellbeing replacing economic growth as a priority.

And among things that did not happen on Sturgeon’s watch: the economics of Scottish independence was a speech she never made. She did not confront her party with a deep reckoning on why the Yes campaign lost the 2014 referendum, or the scale of the challenge in making a stronger economic case to win over doubters next time.

That, too, will fall to her successor.

Image source, EPA

Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar hailed the outgoing Scottish FM as a "true European", likely referring to her anti-Brexit stance.

"I always found Nicola a very warm person, articulate and thoughtful, and a very capable politician, who showed huge commitment to her country," the Taoiseach said, before wishing her and her family "the very best for the future".

Meanwhile Micheal Martin, the country's deputy leader and foreign affairs minister, praised Sturgeon as someone who "demonstrated strong leadership rooted in her vision for Scotland". He added that he'd "greatly appreciated and valued" his regular engagements with the FM.

Sarah Smith
North America Editor

Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation is making news here in the US.

It is a measure of the international impact she has had during her time in office that the New York Times, like the BBC, is reporting live on the story.

Her global profile helped publicise her quest for Scottish independence around the world.

In statement to the BBC, Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, said: “First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has earned respect and admiration from all over the globe for her strong, values-driven leadership,”.

Pelosi praised her commitment to environmental policy and her “special focus on gender equality in the climate fight” as well as for welcoming Ukrainian refuges to Scotland and advocating for reducing Europe’s dependence on Russian oil.

Nicola Sturgeon has always a passionate advocate of women’s’ rights which helped her to forge bonds with female politicians around the world. Even if they did not share her ambitions for Scotland.

Ms Pelosi diplomatically said Ms Sturgeon had “strongly championed the aspirations of the Scottish people”.

Even Nicola Sturgeon’s friends and admirers on the international stage are not about to wade into the constitutional debate over Scotland’s future

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, PA Media

Although Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation, she won't formally step down until her successor has been elected.

A similar process is in place at Westminster and ensures there is always a first minister in post.

In terms of electing a new SNP leader, the party's constitution states that a candidate must have at least 100 nominations from party members from at least 20 of the party’s local branches.

Commons Library, external says if there is more than one candidate, there will be an election in which all party members are eligible to vote. The poll is run on a one-person-one-vote postal voting system.

As for electing a first minister, this person is nominated for appointment by MSPs - meaning anyone, so long as they are an MSP, could take the job. In practice they will be the leader of the party with the most MSPs.

Once a first minister has tendered their resignation to the King, the Scottish Parliament has a period of 28 days in which to nominate one of its members for appointment as their successor.

Each nominee is invited to speak in Holyrood in support of their candidacy, after which MSPs cast their vote for their preferred person. The successful candidate is elected by a simple majority.

The presiding officer then recommends to the King that he appoint the winning candidate.

The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has ruled himself out of replacing Nicola Sturgeon saying the next leader will come from the Holyrood group.

"I've no intention of putting myself forward," he confirms.

Flynn tells the BBC News Channel his response to her resignation: "I'm gutted, Nicola has been a formidable leader of our party and a formidable leader of Scotland's government."

He says Sturgeon is "peerless on these islands".

Responding to comments from Douglas Ross, Flynn says the Scottish Conservative leader has "embarrassed himself today and showed no class".

Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, says there is "no doubt that political leadership takes its personal toll on individuals and families".

But he says Scotland has become a "far more divided country" during her time as first minister.

"That's largely due to her efforts to separate Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom," he tells BBC Scotland.

"I think Nicola Sturgeon's focus should have been on delivering for people across Scotland – improving our health service, delivering and education for our young people and supporting local communities.

"That's where she has completely failed, and she has accepted that in some of the big challenges for Scotland, for example on drug deaths, that she herself took her eye off the ball.

"And that's because her eye was always on independence."

Nicola Sturgeon has spoken out for the first time since her resignation speech this morning.

She took to Twitter to thank the people of Scotland, whether they voted for her or not, for her time as first minister.

Sir John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, tells Radio Scotland the polls showed for every one person who was satisfied with Nicola Sturgeon, there was one who was dissatisfied.

However Curtice points out: "At the moment for example Rishi Sunak would die for numbers like that."

She is still the most popular leader in Scotland and has indeed been "remarkably popular", he says.

The psephologist says: "Nicola Sturgeon was discovering that she was no longer necessarily able to determine the strategic direction of her party on independence.

"There clearly is a debate going on inside the party about whether the next UK general election should be regarded as a Plan B, a de facto referendum, and if so what that might mean."

Image source, PA Media

Deputy First Minister John Swinney has said he's "very sorry" the first minister has decided to step down but "completely understands" her reasons, adding that he will "miss her leadership".

The MSP said he'd been in discussions with the first minister for "some weeks" as they considered the "most appropriate" step to take.

In the last few days, he became aware of Nicola Sturgeon's decision to step down. He said: "It's obviously been a shock to all of us, a shock to the SNP family and shock to the country as well."

Swinney wouldn't be drawn on the possibility of putting his hat in the ring for first minister saying: "Today is not a day for thinking about what lies ahead. I think it's a day for reflecting".

However, he said he "had a job to do" at present as deputy first minister.

Image source, Reuters

Several political commentators have drawn parallels between Sturgeon and Jacinda Ardern who suddenly quit as New Zealand's prime minister last month citing "burnout".

Echoing Ardern's comments that she had "no fuel left in the tank" to lead, Sturgeon said the intensity and "brutality" of life as a politician had taken its toll on her, and those around her.

Last month Ardern said she'd hoped to find the heart and energy to go on in the role "but unfortunately I haven't, and I would be doing a disservice to New Zealand to continue".

Suggesting similar reasons for stepping down, Surgeon said: "These jobs are a privilege, but they are also rightly hard... and at times relentlessly so.

Sturgeon said she felt unable to give "every ounce of energy that it needs" to continue as leader, and it was her "duty" to stand down.

Speaking after Ardern resigned, Sturgeon said: "If I ever reach the point that she has clearly reached, where I think overall I just can't give the job everything it deserves, then I hope I have the same courage she's had in saying, 'OK, this is the point to go'."

Image source, Reuters

Nicola Sturgeon is the longest-serving first minister in Scottish history, and will step down having clocked up more than eight years in the role.

During her time in office, she's seen dramatic transitions of power in the UK and across the world, as well as seismic events and election wins.

Here's a brief look back as some of those political shifts:

• Sturgeon's time as first minister has encompassed the Brexit process, including the 2016 referendum, the negotiations in 2017-19, the departure on 31 January 2020, and the transition period until the end of that year
• During her time in office, the UK has seen five different prime ministers, all of them Conservative: David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak
• There have been three Labour Party leaders and five Liberal Democrats leaders
• Sturgeon led the SNP in three general elections, two Scottish parliamentary elections, two rounds of Scottish local elections and a European election
• When she took office, Barack Obama was the US president, Francois Hollande was president of France, and Angela Merkel still had another seven years to go as German chancellor
• Sturgeon's time as FM also included the deaths of the Duke of Edinburgh in April 2021 and the Queen last September