SCOTTISH politicians and trade union leaders have paid tribute to former first minister Nicola Sturgeon after she announced plans to stand down as an MSP next year.
A former SNP leader, Sturgeon has been in the Edinburgh parliament since it was reconvened in 1999. She was Scotland's longest-serving first minister, staying in the role for eight years before she was replaced by Humza Yousaf.
In a statement announcing her resignation as an MSP, Sturgeon said that "being one of the original 1999 Members of the Scottish Parliament, serving (by the time of the election) for 27 years – almost exactly half my life – and getting to represent Glasgow Southside, the best constituency in Scotland, has been an honour beyond words".
Yousaf, who won an SNP leadership election to replace her in 2023, said on Twitter/X she was one of the most talented politicians he had come across.
He said: "I am excited to see what Nicola goes on to do next.
"She is one of the most talented politicians of our generation. I am personally grateful for her advice, trust, and friendship over the years."
First Minister John Swinney, who was her deputy for many years, said on Twitter/X: "I am sorry @NicolaSturgeon will stand down in 2026 and thank her warmly for her immense contribution @ScotParl @scotgov
"As Scotland’s longest serving and first female First Minister, she has done so much to improve the lives of people in Scotland. I send her every good wish."
Roz Foyer, Scottish Trade Union Congress general secretary, said Sturgeon always strived to work in partnership with the movement and should be proud of her legacy.
She said: “The STUC wish to thank Nicola for her long-standing public service to our parliament, our politics and the wider social fabric of Scotland. Throughout her time as an MSP and as First Minister, she consistently strived to work in partnership with our movement – even when we robustly disagreed - showing the STUC and the wider trade union movement nothing but the high-level respect and courtesy we are due as representatives of Scotland’s workers.
“She was a leading proponent of the Scottish Government’s Fair Work agenda, recognising that more needed to be done to protect workers. Her commitment to ending poverty and driving down inequality throughout her career as an MSP should also be recognised. “She can be proud of her legacy in encouraging more women, myself included, to speak up and use their voice to advocate for change. We commend her for her dedication to the Scottish Parliament and wish her all good wishes for the future."
She said: “Nicola Sturgeon’s time leading Scotland is certainly one that she can be proud of. Her role in navigating us through Covid-19 and Brexit will inspire generations of young women.
“Patrick and I had the privilege of serving in government alongside Nicola. It was the first time anywhere in the UK that Greens had been in a government role, and we are proud of the change we delivered.
“Although we sit with different parties and have our disagreements, what we will always have in common is the dream of an independent Scotland back at the heart of Europe.
“I'm sure that although Nicola Sturgeon will no longer sit in parliament, she will continue to fight for Scotland’s future."
However, not all of Sturgeon's colleagues in the Parliament have been so complimentary, with deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives Rachael Hamilton saying her record is one of "failure".
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “We wish any departing MSP well, regardless of their party or politics.
“But we cannot forget the deep divisions in our country that Nicola Sturgeon created, fostered and encouraged.
“By any objective analysis, her record as First Minister is one of failure. Scottish education standards collapsed on her watch and the poverty-related attainment gap, which she promised to eradicate, widened.
“She presided over a drugs-death emergency, a ferries scandal, a crisis in our NHS, crumbling roads – and all while raising taxes on hard-working Scots, which stifled economic growth."
Scottish LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said her impact was "undeniable" but her departure was further proof of "SNP decline".
He said: “Whatever you think of her legacy, Nicola Sturgeon’s impact on Scottish politics has been undeniable.
“The SNP have been in power for too long, and the departure of another big figure is further proof of their decline.
“For so many people across Scotland, it feels like nothing works anymore. Next year, they will have a chance to draw a line under SNP division and neglect.
"At the 2026 election, Scottish Liberal Democrats will be focused on standing up for faster access to local healthcare, lifting up education and giving our economy the attention it deserves.”
