Politics in Scotland hasn't been the same since the day she walked into the Bute House press room and told the world she was done. Nicola Sturgeon, for nearly a decade, wasn't just a politician. She was the face of a nation, a constant presence on our TV screens during the darkest days of the pandemic, and a leader who polarizes opinion like almost no one else in British public life. Honestly, whether you loved her or couldn't stand her, you've got to admit she was a force of nature.
People often forget how long she was actually there. By the time she stepped down as the Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland in 2023, she had outlasted four UK Prime Ministers. She saw the rise and fall of Theresa May, the chaos of Boris Johnson, the blink-and-you-missed-it tenure of Liz Truss, and the start of Rishi Sunak. It's kinda wild when you think about it. She was the one constant in a UK political landscape that was basically on fire for most of the 2010s.
But now it's 2026. The dust has settled, or at least it’s supposed to have. She’s already announced she won’t be seeking re-election as an MSP in the upcoming May 2026 Holyrood elections. The "Sturgeon era" is officially closing its final chapter.
The Reality of Being Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland
What was it actually like for her? She’s been surprisingly open about it lately, especially in her reflections with the Institute for Government. She described her first days as "bewildering." You’d think someone who had been in the thick of it for years as Deputy First Minister would have it all figured out, but she admits she had no real training for the top job.
One thing she mentions that really sticks is a conversation with Sir John Elvidge, the then Permanent Secretary. He told her: "When you're a minister, you're never off duty."
That sounds like a cliché, but for Sturgeon, it was a literal reality. She was known for a hyper-controlled, almost presidential style. She didn’t just lead; she micromanaged. Some say that was her greatest strength—her mastery of the detail—but others, like veteran writer Neal Ascherson, argue it was her downfall. It was a "first-person style of government." It was always about what she would do, not necessarily what the cabinet would do.
This isolation was a high-wire act. During COVID-19, that's exactly what people wanted. They wanted a single, clear voice they could trust. 41% of Scots still cite her handling of the pandemic as her biggest achievement. But in the messy, day-to-day world of domestic policy? That same control started to feel like a bottleneck.
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The Successes They Don't Talk About Enough
If you listen to the opposition, they'll tell you her record was a total disaster. They point to the "ferries scandal," the widening attainment gap in schools, and the drug death crisis. And look, those are real failures. You can't just hand-wave them away.
But there’s a flip side.
- The Scottish Child Payment: This is probably her most significant piece of social policy. Anti-poverty campaigners have called it a "game-changer." It’s a direct payment to low-income families that simply doesn't exist in the rest of the UK.
- The Baby Box: Inspired by the Finnish model, every new parent in Scotland gets a box of essentials. It’s symbolic, sure, but it’s also practical.
- Expansion of Childcare: She significantly increased the hours of free childcare, which, let’s be honest, is a massive deal for working parents.
She once said she wanted to be judged on her record in education. On that front, the results are mixed at best. But on social security and early years, she actually moved the needle.
The Independence Question: Why KEYWORD Still Matters
You can't talk about Nicola Sturgeon without talking about independence. It was her raison d'être. She joined the SNP at 16, driven by a belief that Scotland should be its own country.
The big irony? Despite her being a master communicator and a formidable campaigner, Scotland isn't any closer to independence now than it was in 2014. Some people in the "Yes" movement are actually pretty frustrated with her for that. They feel she spent too much time trying to be the "grown-up in the room" and not enough time actually pushing the button on a second referendum.
Then came the Supreme Court ruling in late 2022. It basically said, "No, you can't hold a referendum without Westminster's permission." That was a massive blow. Her plan to turn the next general election into a "de facto" referendum was controversial even within her own party. It felt like she had run out of road.
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The Shadow of Operation Branchform
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The police investigation into the SNP’s finances—Operation Branchform—has cast a long, dark shadow over her legacy. Her arrest in June 2023 (and subsequent release without charge) was a moment that shocked the country. Seeing the blue forensics tent outside her home was surreal.
Her husband, Peter Murrell, has been charged with embezzlement. The couple is now divorcing. It's a tragic, Shakespearean end to a political partnership that dominated Scotland for a generation. Sturgeon herself has consistently protested her innocence, saying she is "in the dark" about what was happening with the party's money.
In her upcoming memoirs, she’s expected to "correct the record" on a lot of this. But for many voters, the "secrecy and cynicism" that critics like Rachael Hamilton of the Scottish Conservatives talk about has left a permanent mark.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her Leadership
There’s this idea that Sturgeon was this all-powerful, untouchable figure. But if you look closer, the cracks were there for years. The fallout with her mentor, Alex Salmond, was the beginning of the end. It wasn't just a political disagreement; it was a total breakdown of a relationship that had built the modern SNP.
The Holyrood inquiry into the government's handling of sexual assault allegations against Salmond was brutal. It exposed a government that was, in many ways, dysfunctional at the top.
Sturgeon’s decision to push through the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill is another example. She saw it as a simple matter of human rights. But she underestimated the level of pushback, even within her own party. It became a focal point for a massive culture war that she just couldn't win.
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The 2026 Transition
As we approach the 2026 election, the SNP is a very different beast. Under John Swinney, the party is trying to refocus on "bread and butter" issues like the cost of living. But the "Sturgeon factor" is still there.
The opposition is going to use her record as a weapon. They’ll talk about the "wasteful spending" and the "divisive nationalism." Meanwhile, her supporters will point to her as a trailblazer—the first woman to hold the office, a leader who spoke human when everyone else sounded like a robot.
Actionable Insights: Learning from the Sturgeon Era
Whether you're interested in politics, leadership, or just want to understand the current state of Scotland, there are some real takeaways here:
- Communication is King (but not everything): Sturgeon was arguably the best communicator in UK politics. But even the best speeches can't hide a lack of progress on core issues like health and education indefinitely.
- Centralization is a Double-Edged Sword: Micromanagement works in a crisis (like COVID), but it kills innovation and creates bottlenecks in the long run. Good leaders have to learn to delegate.
- The "Vibe" Matters: Part of why she was so popular was simply her "down-to-earth charm." She talked about the menopause, she talked about miscarriage, she talked about books. She made herself relatable in a way most politicians don't.
- Legacy is Fluid: Don't assume the current headlines are the final word. As more details emerge from the ongoing investigations and her own memoirs, our understanding of her time in office will keep shifting.
If you're following the 2026 Scottish election, watch how the candidates handle her legacy. Do they embrace it? Do they distance themselves? That'll tell you everything you need to know about where Scottish politics is heading next.
The story of the Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland isn't over yet. It’s just moving from the floor of the parliament to the pages of the history books. And honestly, it’s going to be a fascinating read.