In Pictures: Nicola Sturgeon from party youth activist to Scottish leader
PA Reporters
Nicola Sturgeon is standing down as First Minister and SNP leader after joining the Scottish National Party at the age of 16.
In a shock announcement on Wednesday, the 52-year-old said she believes the “time is now” to stand aside.
In 1999, Ms Sturgeon was SNP vice-convener during the Holyrood elections. She stood for the Glasgow Govan seat and lost, but joined the Scottish Parliament under the party list. Seen here with party colleagues, from left, deputy convenor John Swinney, party leader Alex Salmond and chief executive Mike Russell after the Scottish parliamentary elections of 1999 (Ben Curtis/PA)
Helping to launch the SNPs online mobile campaigning system for activists in 2009 (Andrew Milligan/PA)
The longest serving – and first female – first minister rose to power unopposed after the ill-fated independence referendum in 2014, taking over from Alex Salmond, the mentor with whom she would come into conflict in the years to come over the handling of sexual harassment allegations made against him.
Then-first minister Alex Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon walk past a sign showing the date for the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 (David Cheskin/PA)
Mr Salmond was a mentor to Ms Sturgeon until they came into conflict over the handling of sexual harassment allegations made against him (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Last year the UK’s Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish Government does not have the power to hold another independence referendum, as Westminster blocks the move.
With Scottish actor Alan Cumming outside the Yes Kelvin campaign hub in Glasgow ahead of the Scottish independence referendum vote (Danny Lawson/PA)
The most recent independence poll from YouGov, in January 2023, had Yes on 40%, No on 46% and don’t knows on 10% (Jane Barlow/PA)
Ms Sturgeon’s stint as First Minister spanned the entire period of the UK’s exit from the European Union, including the 2016 referendum, the negotiations in 2017-19, the departure on January 31 2020 and the transition period until the end of 2020.
Ms Sturgeon was a firm supporter of Remain in the Brexit vote (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Throughout her stint as party leader, Ms Sturgeon clashed with Westminster on both independence but also other devolved powers issue.
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.
Leaving 10 Downing Street in London with her Brexit minister Michael Russell after a meeting with Theresa May in 2016 (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Welcoming then-prime minister Boris Johnson to Bute House (Jane Barlow/PA)
The First Minister was also a key figure following the death of the Queen in Scotland in 2022, with many of the initial ceremonies held in Edinburgh.
Meeting the King and Queen Consort as they arrive at Edinburgh Airport after travelling from London, ahead of joining the procession of the Queen’s coffin from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles’ Cathedral (Robert Perry/PA)
The First Minister took a ride with Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on the day the monarch became Britain’s longest reigning in 2015 (Andrew Milligan/PA)
The coronavirus pandemic saw Ms Sturgeon lead daily briefings to update the Scottish population on restrictions and death figures.
With Scottish chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood at a pandemic news conference in March 2020 (Jeff J Mitchell/PA)
People pass a TV shop as the First Minister made a Covid-19 statement during a virtual sitting of the Scottish Parliament (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Wearing a tartan mask to play with nine-month-old Amelia Mackinnon during a visit at Govan Help in Glasgow in 2022 (Peter Summers/PA)
Members of the public outside Bute House in Edinburgh watching the press conference where First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced she will stand down as First Minister for Scotland (Andrew Milligan/PA)
