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in the scottish parliament nicola sturgeon played a key role in pushing for independence long before she became leader of the snp. as leader she became one of the most recognised faces in uk politics. jonathan blake now looks at her impact. prominent, popular, a familiarface. nicola sturgeon has dominated scottish politics for a decade. and just weeks ago, when asked about her future, she was adamant she wasn�t going anywhere. jacinda ardern says she doesn�t have enough in a tank to continue, how much is in the nicola sturgeon tag? there is plenty in the tank at the moment. if i ever reach the point she has clearly reached, where i think overall i can't give the job everything it deserves, then— i hope i have the same courage

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westminster to devolved nations? for independence, the big question for the snp and other parties, the snp gains came largely as labour's expense, so labour on the conservatives are seeing this as an opportunity to regain ground in scotland. , , opportunity to regain ground in scotland. , ., , ., ., scotland. just hours after nicola sturueon scotland. just hours after nicola sturgeon announced _ scotland. just hours after nicola sturgeon announced her- scotland. just hours after nicola i sturgeon announced her intention scotland. just hours after nicola - sturgeon announced her intention to stand down, there is already speculation about who might succeed her. the betting shop chain coral has shared some of its odds. the current favourite is angus robertson, who currently serves as the constitution secretary in the scottish government. kate forbes and humza yousaf are also favourites. but kate forbes is currently on maternity leave away from politics. could it be second time round for the deputy first minister, john swinney? he led the snp and opposition as leader from 2000—200a, but said today he would not take over as acting first minister well there is a contest. could there be a

Want-scottish-independence , Opportunity , Conservatives , Westminster , Ground , Parties , Scottish-national-party , Nations , The-big-question , Expense , Labour , Gains

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of her departure, and it is something that not many political leaders get to do. on a personal level, i'm glad she was able to do that. , ., ., ., , ., that. very good to get your thoughts- _ i'm joined now by anas sarwar, the leader of the scottish labour party. thank you very much for being with us. i am thank you very much for being with us. iam reading thank you very much for being with us. i am reading you first met nicola sturgeon when you are 12 years old, is that right? that nicola sturgeon when you are 12 years old, is that right?- years old, is that right? that is true. years old, is that right? that is true- nicola — years old, is that right? that is true. nicola sturgeon - years old, is that right? that is true. nicola sturgeon was - years old, is that right? that is - true. nicola sturgeon was competing against my father when he stood for election back in 1997, when i was a young boy, going to political hustings, not the normal way you are brought up in terms of most kids, but i was going a lot to political hustings and i got to see nicola sturgeon up close and personal from that very young age. 50. sturgeon up close and personal from that very young age-— that very young age. so, you have been watching _ that very young age. so, you have been watching her— that very young age. so, you have been watching her and _ that very young age. so, you have been watching her and analysing l that very young age. so, you have l been watching her and analysing her as a leader, since you were 12. what do you make of her contribution to scottish politics? 0bviously do you make of her contribution to scottish politics? obviously you are an opponent. what would you say

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and in fact i don�t know anyone in politics who is not surprised. i dare say there are some people, some journalists will say they knew about it all along. i don�t think they did, ithink it is a it all along. i don�t think they did, i think it is a significant surprise, it certainly was to me. what do you see is the key reasons? because she talked a lot about personal reasons, but also political reasons. i personal reasons, but also political reasons. ., � ~ ., ~ personal reasons, but also political reasons. ~ ., ~ ., reasons. i don't know. i think that is a real puzzle. _ reasons. i don't know. i think that is a real puzzle. i— reasons. i don't know. i think that is a real puzzle. i think _ reasons. i don't know. i think that is a real puzzle. i think you - reasons. i don't know. i think that is a real puzzle. i think you will. is a real puzzle. i think you will have to ask nicola, only she knows the answer to that question. i suppose the political puzzle would be this. nicola sturgeon took the case for independence to the supreme court for having a referendum. i thought that was a very puzzling thing to do, since i didn�*t think the supreme court of the united kingdom, you can tell by the title, was going to wade through a case for having an independence referendum, but then said that the de facto referendum, the inner general election would be coming, would be the way forward. what nicola said today was she thought she was going today was she thought she was going to win that vote and therefore choose going to resign. ijust

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it was interesting to hear a very personal speech from nicola sturgeon, quite a reflective speech from nicola sturgeon. she was talking a lot about the impact that being at the front of politics for so long had had on her and her family, and also this idea that she has become a polarising figure in scottish politics, although, to be totally honest with her, it is probably the issue of the constitution and independence that is the polarising factor than any one individual or character, and i think that whoever takes on the mantle of leadership of the scottish national party, and therefore being first minister of scotland, is likely to face the same challenges because there is still a big debate about how the snp can move scotland closer to independence. clearly, the first minister nicola sturgeon has had a successful tenure in some

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win and what that change looks like. that is what i am most energised and enthusiastic about. i want to demonstrate a new passion, new ideas and to persuade the people of scotland, regardless of how they have voted in the past, whether they voted labour, snp or indeed the conservatives in the past, i want to persuade them that we can achieve so much more by uniting people in scotland, ratherthan much more by uniting people in scotland, rather than dividing them. that is probably a debate for another day. today, it is right that we recognise that nicola sturgeon has been a huge figure, we may have massive disagreements, but she's been a significant figure in politics, and that is worthy of respect and thank you. she made clear art respect and thank you. she made clear part of _ respect and thank you. she made clear part of the _ respect and thank you. she made clear part of the decision - respect and thank you. she made clear part of the decision is - clear part of the decision is personal, as well as political. i suppose it is recognition of the toll that spending several years at the very top of politics, wherever you are, it is pretty tough and pretty relentless?— you are, it is pretty tough and pretty relentless? politics has been framed so much _ pretty relentless? politics has been framed so much by _ pretty relentless? politics has been framed so much by difference. - pretty relentless? politics has been framed so much by difference. and| pretty relentless? politics has been| framed so much by difference. and i think too often politics has become, if you disagree, it means you must dislike or even hate. i think

Northern-scotland , People , Change , Scottish-national-party , Labour , Ideas , About , Passion , Nicola-sturgeon- , Debate , Conservatives , Figure

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interview with blairjenkins. i'll give you another quote from what he has been saying. as a result of her relentlessly agitating, as he put it, for another vote on separation, scotland has been in a state of constitutional paralysis ever since, divided and unable to move on from the groundhog day of 201a and its toxic legacy. i the groundhog day of 2014 and its toxic legacy-— toxic legacy. i would suggest the toxic legacy. i would suggest the toxic legacy _ toxic legacy. i would suggest the toxic legacy and _ toxic legacy. i would suggest the toxic legacy and divisive - toxic legacy. i would suggest the toxic legacy and divisive in - toxic legacy. i would suggest the | toxic legacy and divisive in nature of politics has been equally led by the scottish conservatives. i think the scottish conservatives. i think the chance that we have now is the opportunity to recognise there is a demand for change across scotland, but there is a demand for change across the uk. there is not a clear majority for independence or a referendum, but there is a clear majority for change. the challenge that i have on my party has is, look, the easy part of politics is to say what you believe your opponents deserve to lose. the hard part of politics is setting out what you believe your own party has to

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in the next four years.— think that is the general direction in the next four years. there have been a lot — in the next four years. there have been a lot of _ in the next four years. there have been a lot of tributes _ in the next four years. there have been a lot of tributes to _ in the next four years. there have been a lot of tributes to her - in the next four years. there have been a lot of tributes to her and l been a lot of tributes to her and also some criticism. the scottish conservative leader douglas ross said her entire tenure as first minister has been characterised by relentless agitating for another boat on separation, and also that she has presided over a decade of division and decay in scotland. what do you make of those comments? i think what today has demonstrated is what people in scotland already knew, what an outstanding leader that nicola sturgeon is, and unfortunately what a small person douglas ross is. i think most people in scotland, whatever politics they have, understand that nicola sturgeon has been a terrific leader for scotland. she has got recognition and approval, and praise, notjust nationally but internationally. 0n praise, notjust nationally but internationally. on a personal level, i am very glad she has been able to be in control of the timing

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you sense to the tone from nicola sturgeon, it was pretty reflective. it became clear that this was something the first minister had been thinking about for some time. she said she had been wrestling with this decision for several weeks, and it crystallised for her when she attended the funeral of an independence supporter yesterday. she said the decision went from 99%, up she said the decision went from 99%, up to 100% certain that this was the right thing to do. she said notjust for her, but for her party and for the country as well, insisting that this was not about short—term challenges facing her government, such as the row over gender reforms or the push for a second independence referendum, she said that this was a much longer term view. she said that now is the right time for a new leader to step in and take on all of those issues in government. take on all of those issues in government-— take on all of those issues in rovernment. ,, , ., ., government. she has been around so lona at the government. she has been around so long at the top _ government. she has been around so long at the top of— government. she has been around so long at the top of scottish _ long at the top of scottish politics. there isn�*t really an obvious successor, is there? a lot

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success and i didn�*t take it to success, then take it to within touching distance, take it from where you found it and bring it into the mainstream, so that success is not assured because nothing is assured in politics, but is very probable for the future. the difficulty is that nicola has gone in midstream. she went to the supreme court, her decision, got a rebuff from the supreme court, said, right, we will overcome that through the de facto election a referendum for next year and has left before that decision has been made. that to me is a fundamental puzzle and a big challenge for the incoming first minister. as for the unionist parties crowing about, this will enable us to trample all over the independence case, yeah, i mean, they are laughing too soon. political parties have to depend on what is happening to their opponents for success or use their weak ground themselves, i have heard that song before and the story of scottish politics over the last 25 years has been the movement upwards of the

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