Cast your minds back, to a simpler time. It was many moons ago in, er, February of this year, back when the blessed Nicola resigned as First Minister of Scotland. Back then, she was hailed by self-regarding sensibles across the land: a decent, rational progressive who got Covid right (even though England and Scotland’s death rates were near-identical).
Sturgeon was the LGBT ally brought down over trans rights; the well-meaning liberal who led a better class of government than wicked Boris Johnson and his bunch of venal Tories. Below are six badly-aged reactions to Sturgeon’s resignation which best capture that long-forgotten time in British politics…
Ian Blackford – SNP MP and former Westminster leader
Nicola Sturgeon is the finest First Minster Scotland has ever had, and the finest friend anyone could hope for. When Scotland wins independence, she will have been its architect and builder. She has laid the foundations we all now stand on. We owe it to her to finish the job.
Stephen Flynn – SNP MP and current Westminster leader
Nicola has been an inspiration to myself and countless others for so long. A formidable leader and dedicated public servant, unmatched not just in Scotland but right across these isles. She has made Scotland a better place and for that I will always be thankful.
Europe for Scotland
Unlike the litany of British Prime Ministers who resigned in disgrace, Nicola Sturgeon is stepping down despite the respect and popularity she enjoys both at home and across Europe. In the starkest possible contrast to Boris Johnson, who had to be dragged out of Downing Street kicking and screaming, Sturgeon is departing out of her own will.
Will Hutton – journalist and former Observer editor:
Can’t help contrasting Nicola Sturgeon’s graceful, clear, honest resignation speech with so much personal integrity with Liz Truss and Boris Johnson’s harrumphing resignation efforts that left them both diminished. A formidable politician whatever you think of her cause.
Owen Jones – journalist and Guardian columnist:
Nicola Sturgeon isn’t just the most impressive female politician in a generation – she’s the most formidable politician we’ve got. A class act who enjoyed popular support which most leaders who’ve served that long could only dream of. History will be kind to her.
Jolyon Maugham KC – lawyer and fox beater
I will be very sad to see @NicolaSturgeon‘s departure. But Westminster has made it very hard to see a peaceful way forward for the aspirations of many Scottish people for self-determination or even proper devolved government.
