[189], The announcement was welcomed by the Scottish Green party but Greenpeace criticised Sturgeon for not coming out more strongly against the oil field. Quite simply, I would not have been able to do what I have in politics without his constant advice, guidance and support through all these years. [269][270], In the run up to the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, Nicola Sturgeon offered her own personal backing and that of the Scottish Government to Catalonia in the holding of a referendum. When the British Government turned down the Scottish Government's idea of a formal currency union - on the grounds that the rationale for sharing a currency with a foreign country was "not clear" - Sturgeon accused Westminster of trying to "bully Scotland" and said it would "cost their own businesses hundreds of millions in transaction costs". During the referendum campaign, cult-like Yes rallies in Glasgow housing estates were conventions of zealotry (I attended my fair share, but the Scottish media mainly overlooked them). Tory MSP apologises for suggesting Nicola Sturgeon is anti-English Pro-life, Same-sex Marriage, Politicians, Marriage, Morals, Catholic education, Ecumenism, Abortion, Transgenderism, LGBT+, Politics nicola sturgeon, first minister of scotland, cardinal winning lecture, university of glasgow 22 Comments Yes, I think that is true. Is Nicola Sturgeon A Catholic | Latest In Bollywood- News She also served as Cabinet Secretary for Health, Infrastructure, and Parliament. The paper was sent to the central British Government to be read by Prime Minister Theresa May. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon whose party are losing electoral support from fundamentalist members of the Catholic Church in Scotland. 1d ago Charlotte Observer The down side is that you just end up talking about it all the time and you never leave it outside. [333] Reflecting on her marriage in 2012, Sturgeon told the Daily Record: "Being in the same kind of line of work has its up sides and its down sides. [199][200][201], The Scottish Government had commissioned two new ferries for 97m from Ferguson's shipyard in 2015, but the construction of the two vessels was beset by delays and complications. His then-depute, Roseanna Cunningham, immediately announced her intention to stand for the leadership. Can Sturgeon's bid to narrow the 'educational gap' survive austerity The Catholic church has long ceased to be an effective opinion former a charge that could equally be levelled at most denominations, of course. Nicola Sturgeon is a Scottish politician. It is a scar on the conscience of this Scottish Government. [15] She developed a passion for books and reading which continued into adult life. Overall, it concluded that ministers "could have been better prepared to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic". "If she wants to show leadership on climate she must clearly say: stop Cambo. Absolutely not, there's no man I know who is less sexist. She was categorised in 2015 as part of the SNP's gradualist wing, which believed in achieving independence through accumulating the Scottish Parliament's powers from the UK Parliament over time. Nicola Sturgeon's Enthusiastic Talk on Catholic Schools Leaked To Catholic Truth! [233][234], In September 2021, Sturgeon was accused of shutting down debate about gender reforms after she described concerns about gender recognition reform as "not valid" and campaign groups and analysts complained that their concerns were being ignored. [327], Forbes magazine ranked Sturgeon as the 50th most powerful woman in the world in 2016 and 2nd in the United Kingdom. [251] Annemarie Ward, chief executive at the FAVOR Scotland charity, said: "Nicola Sturgeon said she would make it her national mission to save lives - but were still losing more than 1000 people a year. Feb 15, 2023 Nicola Sturgeon appears like her religion is Christianity. On 19 September 2014, independence was rejected in the Scottish independence referendum, with 55.3% of the voters voting no and 44.7% voting yes. And many in Sturgeons party have rather different views from Archbishops Tartaglia in Glasgow and Cushley in Edinburgh about when the sacredness of human life begins and ends and how far the state should micro-manage the individual. The 50-year-old politician created history by being the first female Minister of Scotland. If Scotland was outside Europe, they would lose the right to stay here."[74][75]. [88], At a speech in Dundee's Caird Hall on 7 November, Sturgeon pledged to be "the most accessible First Minister ever" when she took over. "The First Minister must stop hiding behind Boris Johnson," a spokesperson for the organisation said. It really matters. Labour refused to support the bill as they claimed it failed to tackle windfall profit from alcohol retailers. [citation needed] During her time at the University of Glasgow she was active as a member of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association and the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council. Newark Catholic boys basketball flourishing in second season, reaches Some will see this as the acquisition of belated self-confidence by a submerged community. Fiona Hyslop and Richard Lochhead remained in their portfolios of culture secretary and rural affairs secretary, respectively. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hit out at anti-catholic bigotry in Scotland (Image: PA) Read More Related Articles. [205][206][204] Key documentation, which might have explained why ministers signed the contracts without appropriate safeguards to protect taxpayers' money, was lost and Sturgeon later said this too was "regrettable" and that "the Government will learn lessons. It was reported that Salmond had privately supported Sturgeon in her leadership bid, but decided to run for the position himself as it became apparent she was unlikely to beat Cunningham. The move is prompting a new conversations about trans rights, independence and Jacinda Ardern. Despite being a Roman Catholic, some of his roughest receptions were in places with deep Irish associations such as Motherwell. There was no agreement on oil and gas exploration, but the government now argued that it had a stronger case for a national independence referendum. My fellow Catholics are the lapsed unionists behind SNP surge in the polls [45], Sturgeon served as Health Secretary in Salmond's first, and for a year, in his second cabinet. If he was engaged in a contest for the hearts and minds of Scots with a Catholic upbringing and some Irish roots, he failed: Glasgow and its environs voted decisively Yes. Sturgeon was branded as "ungracious" when she was filmed by Sky News celebrating Swinson's defeat. [168][169], In March 2021, the Court of Session declared that the Scottish Government's prohibition on communal worship, imposed during the pandemic, was unlawful. She also promised to hold a monthly Facebook question and answer session with members of the public, regular town hall meetings and that the Scottish Cabinet would meet outside Edinburgh once every two months. As the new leader of Scottish Labour, Murphy will certainly hope to bring disaffected voters to their senses by challenging what he sees as the dangerous impracticality of nationalism. We believe that the value of marriage should be clearly referred to in the guidelines, without denigrating other relationships or children brought up in other kinds of relationship." [214] This plan has been met with condemnation from various opposing parties, with the Prime Minister rejecting her plan. As Shadow Education minister, Sturgeon backed Labour's efforts to repeal Section 28 a Westminster law that banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools. The calls from Sturgeon's government and the wider independence movement for a second referendum were unsuccessful, as the UK government refused to grant a Section 30 order and in November 2022 the UK Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to hold a referendum on the question of Scottish independence. ", "Covid in Scotland: Inadequate preparations for Covid, says watchdog", "Scottish government inadequately prepared for Covid watchdog", "Covid in Scotland: Places of worship can open now after court win", "Church leaders pile pressure on Sturgeon to lift public worship ban", "Scotland's Covid death toll officially passes 10,000", "The full picture of Covid-linked deaths in Scotland's care homes", "Nicola Sturgeon leads calls for Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak to resign", "Nicola Sturgeon demands Boris Johnson resigns after Prime Minister fined", "Police speak to Nicola Sturgeon over mask breach", "Police Scotland takes 'no further action' on Nicola Sturgeon following face mask complaint", "Covid in Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon gets police warning but no fine after mask law break", "SNP to seek Scottish independence vote after election victory", "Scottish election 2021: Nicola Sturgeon celebrates 'historic' SNP election win", "SNP wins election, but just one seat short of overall majority", "John Swinney to be minister for Covid recovery", "SNP and Scottish Greens confirm power-sharing deal in historic moment for Greens", "Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater to serve as ministers in Nicola Sturgeon's Government", "Sturgeon urges UK government to reassess Cambo oil field plan", "Shetland oilfield is a drop in the ocean", "Nicola Sturgeon 'hiding behind PM' on Cambo oilfield, say climate groups", "Nicola Sturgeon: Cambo oil field should not get green light", "Scottish island ferry crossings cancelled as wind and rain batter West Coast", "Ferry service has racked up more than 4,500 cancelled sailings in the last three-and-half years", "Scots bride's wedding saved after ferry nightmare left ceremony on the rocks", "Ferry disruption hits Arran hotels | Scottish Licensed Trade News", "Islanders hire fishing boats and RIBs after CalMac cancellations | Wetherspoon chief goes on attack over VAT | Hospitality group launches recruitment drive", "How are ferry problems affecting people on Barra? [112] Sturgeon also hinted if re-elected she would hold a second referendum on Scottish independence. [89], Sturgeon was formally acclaimed as the first female Leader of the SNP on 14 November 2014 at the Autumn Conference in Perth, with Hosie as her depute. [18] Sturgeon also stood unsuccessfully as the SNP candidate for the Irvine North ward on Cunninghame District Council in May 1992, for the Baillieston/Mount Vernon ward on Strathclyde Regional Council in 1994, and for the Bridgeton ward on Glasgow City Council in 1995. [114] Sturgeon announced her intention to seek a second term in office as a minority government. The nascent leadership contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister of Scotland turn nasty: the flashpoint is the beliefs of finance minister and evangelical Christian Kate Forbes . There have been questions going around saying is Nicola Sturgeon lesbian. [220][221] She argued independence would be "essential" for economic prosperity for Scotland as she claimed the economic climate throughout the UK does not offer strength, stability or security. [273][failed verification], Sturgeon is a constitutional monarchist, telling journalists that it is "a model that has many merits". "The basic values of integrity and decency - essential to the proper working of any parliamentary democracy - demand that he go," she tweeted. [33] As Salmond was still an MP in the House of Commons, Sturgeon led the SNP at the Scottish Parliament until the 2007 election, when Salmond was elected as an MSP. Nicola Sturgeon Resigns as Scotland's First Minister, Citing Toll of [265], Sturgeon was highly critical of Donald Trump and his policies during the 2016 United States presidential election and had publicly backed his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Their neighbourhoods are shared with people who adhere to a Protestant culture, but they are less likely to have been at the crest of the SNP wave. "[166], In July 2020, Sturgeon advocated that the leaders of the four UK nations adopt a coordinated Zero-COVID strategy. After qualifying as a solicitor, she worked for Bell & Craig, a firm of solicitors in Stirling, and later at the Drumchapel Law Centre and a Money Advice Centre in Glasgow from 1997 until her election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. [6][7] She is the eldest of two daughters born to Joan Kerr Sturgeon (ne Ferguson, born 23 October 1952[8]), a dental nurse, and Robin Sturgeon (born 28 September 1948[9]), an electrician. [188] The letter represented a significant shift in policy for the SNP, which had historically been a strong supporter of the oil and gas industry; the party's blueprint for an independent Scotland in 2013 was predicated on tax revenue earned from domestic oil production, while Sturgeon had predicted in the run-up to the referendum that, "Were on the verge of another North Sea bonanza". Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said her government is an "unequivocal supporter" of Catholic schools. The first confirmed case of the virus in Scotland was announced on 1 March 2020, when a resident in Tayside had tested positive. In response to the UK-wide vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, the Scottish Government, headed by Sturgeon, launched the Scotland's Place in Europe document, a white paper setting out the Scottish Government's aims and wishes of Scotland's role in Europe post-Brexit. [287] However, she defended her party's leader Alex Salmond from accusations of sexism. [174][175] The following week Sturgeon received an official reprimand from Police Scotland after a video emerged of her campaigning in a barber shop without a mask. [335][336], Her mother Joan was the SNP Provost of North Ayrshire council, where she was councillor for the Irvine East ward from 2007 until 2016. [48], As Health Secretary, Sturgeon became more widely known internationally for her handling of the 2009 flu pandemic. The Catholicism of the Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy has attracted some attention this week against a backdrop of fascinating political developments in Scotland. "[54] The following day, she confirmed that these were cases of the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus. Sturgeon claimed following comments made by Trump in relation to Muslims entering the United States that he was "not fit" for the ambassadorial role with the Scottish Government. Bryson was sent to a women's prison before being moved to a men's prison. She ordered a review of the thorny issue of hospital car parking charges - as high as 7 in some areas - and, after years of campaigning in opposition, found herself in a position to announce an inquiry into the infection of NHS patients with Hepatitis C and HIV from tainted blood products. "[98], Sturgeon began making appointments to her first cabinet on 21 November 2014, beginning with the appointment of finance secretary John Swinney to become her Deputy First Minister. [191], In the late 2010s, Scottish islanders began to complain that the ageing ferry fleet that connected them to the mainland had become increasingly unreliable. She also served as a member of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee and the Health and Community Care Committee. Alex Salmond, the departing leader, preached a rousing sermon and anointed his successor, Nicola Sturgeon, amid great fervour. [157][158][159] Subsequently the restrictions were repeatedly tightened, loosened and adapted in parts or all of Scotland in response to developments in the situation. [256] In some local authorities the attainment gap between the richest and poorest students had widened. "[334], Sturgeon is known for her love of fiction and says reading, "gives me a lot of joy and helps with the stresses and strains of work". Nicola Sturgeon | Biography, Facts, & Scottish Independence She was unsuccessful, having been beaten by almost 15,000 votes by Labour. Sturgeon became a high-profile figure in Scottish politics and often clashed with First Minister Jack McConnell at First Minister's Questions. [26], Sturgeon served as Shadow Minister for Health and Community Care from 2000 to 2003, and Shadow Minister for Justice from 2003 to 2004. "[155] However, on 18 March Sturgeon announced to the Scottish Parliament that all schools and nurseries in Scotland would close on 20 March to try to limit the spread of the virus. [150][151][152][153] In the wake of the results, Sturgeon said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had "no right" to stand in the way of another Scottish independence referendum after an "overwhelming" SNP election victory. "[165] Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament in July, "At no point within this crisis has Scotland run out of any aspect of PPE. Is Nicola Sturgeon Lesbian? Sexuality Parents And Children However, infighting between the two rival candidates for the Labour nomination, Mohammed Sarwar and Mike Watson, along with an energetic local campaign,[citation needed] resulted in Glasgow Govan being the only Scottish seat to see a swing away from Labour in the midst of a Labour landslide nationwide. In line with Government guidance, she completed a self-isolation period.[339]. She became the youngest ever parliamentary candidate in Scotland in the 1992 general election. [102], Sturgeon's cabinet was 50/50 gender balance, with five men and five women, including herself. [citation needed] She later studied law at the University of Glasgow School of Law, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) in 1992 and a Diploma in Legal Practice the following year. [337], In 2016, Sturgeon disclosed that she had miscarried five years previously. She joined the SNP following an assumption by her English teacher, who was a Labour councillor, she would be a Labour supporter. "[250], In July 2022 the figures for 2021 were released, revealing that 1,330 had died - nine fewer than in 2020. The SNP has played Scotland's Catholic Church for a fool [231] Critics of the changes within the SNP had accused Sturgeon of being "out of step" on the issue, and expressed concerns that the reforms would be open to abuse and allow predatory men into women's spaces. [65], In December 2012, Sturgeon said that she believed that independence would allow Scotland to build a stronger and more competitive country, and would change spending priorities to address "the scandal of soaring poverty in a country as rich as Scotland". Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon says resignation had nothing to do with criticism of her transgender agenda The first minister thought that championing the transgender cause would make her a. Parents And Ethnicity Revealed By Manish Chitrakar February 15, 2023 Nicola Sturgeon being catholic has been a major turn-up on the internet, as the Scottish politician Read More First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has stated that she feels the Church is still influential in Scottish life. [243] In December 2020 figures were released revealing that 1,264 people in Scotland had died from drug overdoses in 2019 the highest number in Europe per head and more than double the number in 2014. She is born into a family of four, including her . The official name is the Free Church of Scotland, and many devotees dislike the popular epithet of the "Wee Frees," with good grounds for arguing that the term is both outdated and sectarian. [99] Shona Robison, a close ally to Sturgeon, became the health secretary, while Keith Brown and Angela Constance, who were both unsuccessful in their bids for the deputy leadership of the SNP, were appointed infrastructure secretary and education secretary, respectively. [271] The Government of Spain criticised Sturgeon, claiming she had "totally misunderstood" the situation in Spain and Catalonia. Overall 52% of voters in the United Kingdom voted for Brexit (leaving the EU), with 48% voting to remain. Nicola Sturgeon will resign from her first minister post, she announced Wednesday. In the same interview, Sturgeon committed to no independence referendum being held prior to the terms of a UK wide Brexit deal being agreed and presented. [239] Sturgeon stated that she believed that her successor would lead Scotland to independence and that she would look on with pride whoever takes on the role. [citation needed]. [85][86], Nominations for the SNP leadership closed on 15 October, with Sturgeon confirmed as the only candidate. "[148], Sturgeon led her party to a landslide victory in the 2019 United Kingdom general election in Scotland. Others, myself included, glimpse the triumph of a new form of passivity skilfully managed by the ruling centre. The SNP emerged as the largest party following the 2007 election and Salmond headed the first SNP minority government, with Sturgeon as his Deputy First Minster. by Anthony Horan in News. Alex Neil, who many speculated would be dismissed, remained in cabinet but in a "less prominent portfolio" of social justice, communities and pensioners rights. Both were subsequently elected, and as Salmond was still an MP in the British House of Commons, Sturgeon led the SNP in the Scottish Parliament as Leader of the Opposition from 2004 to 2007.