for scotland and a committed member of the scottish national party. in her statement today, she acknowledged that dealing with the covid pandemic had been the most challenging period she d known. and some of her own party colleagues have been highly critical of her approach to the question of another referendum on independence. bbc scotland s martin geissler looks at nicola sturgeon s legacy. it s a journey which began on the doorsteps of ayrshire and took her to the highest office in the land. when a teenage nicola sturgeon was delivering leaflets in the 80s, the snp were a fringe party. neither she nor they could have imagined what lay ahead. nicola sturgeon! cheering. the first years of her leadership must have felt like a dream. shy by nature, she was filling arenas and strutting the stage like a rock star. scottish politics had never seen the likes. it is now a significant force in british politics,
yeah, i didn t agree with that. well, you re in the most socially deprived area in scotland, so i suppose the snp policies that she s driven and kind of led have helped this area, you know. like what? the child payments, the baby boxes, you know, anything that s kind of helped promote and improve child poverty that s helping this area. so yeah, i think she s been a big advocate for that. for years, nicola sturgeon has been the most recognisable figure in scottish politics. as she steps down from leading, though not from politics altogether, the race to the top to succeed her will now get under way. lorna gordon, bbc news, greenock. nicola sturgeon has been all powerful in the world of scottish politics for over eight years, but her politicaljourney started during her teenage years, as a believer in independence
down as first minister and leader of my party. individual polls come and go, but i am firmly of the view that there is no majority support for independence in scotland, but that support needs to be solidified, and it needs to grow further if our independent scotland is to have the best possible foundation. to achieve that, we must reach across the divide in scottish politics. the divide is cultural as well as constitutional. the case of the double rapist posing particular problems for the first minister and highlighting concerns about her attempts to make it easier to legally change gender. they are splits in the snp about her desire to attend the next general election into a referendum on independence in all but name. in into a referendum on independence in all but name- all but name. in making my decision clear now i all but name. in making my decision clear now i feed all but name. in making my decision clear now i feed the all but name. in making my decision clear now i feed
one. worrying about the perceived implications of my leadership in the knowledge that a new leader will steer us, i believe successfully on that path. steer us, i believe successfully on that ath. , ~ , ., that path. first minister, i think it is fair to that path. first minister, i think it is fair to say that path. first minister, i think it is fair to say the that path. first minister, i think it is fair to say the nhs - that path. first minister, i think it is fair to say the nhs is - that path. first minister, i think it is fair to say the nhs is in - that path. first minister, i think it is fair to say the nhs is in a i it is fair to say the nhs is in a really serious situation. the attainment gap between rich and poor peoples, which you said was one of your core missions as first minister remains pretty wide and despite what you are saying today, polls suggest you have got nowhere near creating a sustained majority for independence. do you have regrets about one or any of
election because she was standing in an election against because she was standing in an election against my because she was standing in an election against my father. - because she was standing in an. election against my father. there has been election against my father. there has been lots election against my father. there has been lots of election against my father. there has been lots of disagreements, i election against my father. there - has been lots of disagreements, lots of arguments has been lots of disagreements, lots of arguments and has been lots of disagreements, lots of arguments and lots has been lots of disagreements, lots of arguments and lots of has been lots of disagreements, lots of arguments and lots of back - has been lots of disagreements, lots of arguments and lots of back and i of arguments and lots of back and forth of arguments and lots of back and forth but of arguments and lots of back and forth but one of arguments and lots of back an