Sturgeon resigns

[BlueThursday]

I honestly thought she’d keep those claws in.

Clearly doesn’t want to have a potential election defeat

If we want the entire SNP finished then any of the candidates would be good - especially Yousless or Airmiles Angus. I don't think Swinneybot will even chuck his hat in.

JK Rowling please.

Maybe Mairi Black will go for it. I think she has the best chance of success (of winning the job that is, doing it successfully is another matter)

I know that there is a dearth of talent across the political spectrum but Mairi Black is a pretty low bar when it comes to lazy sleekit snivelling grievance junkies. That would surely finish them off.

Do they need to be an MSP rather than an MP?

Sorry I wasn’t clear. I meant “losing” the next UK GE as she said it would be de facto independence vote

Which is why I think she is resigning now. Not because the SNP will fail to get 50% in that election (all signs are they will), but because there is an SNP conference in March at which the party will decide the way foward with regards to independence. If she isn't going to be the person to implement whatever is decided then it makes sense for her to go now. Shortly after the SNP will vote for a new leader.

All my Scottish friends are gutted that their independence heroine won't be there. I can't say anything to them but I've never seen anyone tied up in so many conflicting ideologies and making a dogs breakfast of the whole thing

PECULATION... look it up!!!

Yousless would be good, yet another portfolio to add to his previous fails and yes, would hopefully finish off the party for good. Also consider Mhairi Black, although an outsider because ‘Westminster’ would also do a superb job of ensuring a Labour revival in Scotland.

(As stated earlier, the Swinneybot would need a system update, as he currently couldn’t even chuck his hat in the ring without Nicola’s sign off.)

BBC and Times think Forbes is the obvious heir apparent.

I tend to agree she's the best positioned and most competent of the bunch..and not tainted with recent debacles.

I agree. It's been a sad day for Scotland.

A sad day for Scotland. We're all sobbing into our Irn Bru.

As if.

And Mhairi Black? Seriously? I'm sure she's very nice... actually, I'm not at all sure she's very nice. But she is another straight out of Uni and into politics person with fuck all real life experience. She's 28, FFS.

Personally I would like to see Joanna Cherry throw her hat into the ring mainly because we still have several more years at least of SNP govt and at least she is pragmatic, would be more likely to sort out the GRB dibarcle and wants clear finances not some SNP squirreling/dodgyness!

There seems to be 2 strands to this. One is the party members voting for the new party leader and the other is the SNP MPs voting for a new first minister. Anyone could be the party leader but only an MSP can be first minister which rules out Cherry and the other MPs.

the other is the SNP MPs voting for a new first minister. This should be SNP MSPs.

Brilliant news! My first reaction was elation followed by intense relief. Truly everything has gone to shit with the shallow, ill-thought out sound-bite politics that Sturgeon practised. Scotland has become like a massive student's union with the same depth of talent. We need a clean slate with a non-zealot who makes sensible decisions and considers more angles than whether it'll make a good tweet or whether we can twist this to have a go at Westminster.

I also wonder about the timing though and suspect that the SNPs dodgy finances might have something to do with it. She really messed up with the GRR stuff, but it's not the first time #ResignSturgeon has trended.

😁 🍾 🍾 🍾 Absolutely delighted she has gone - wondering what precipitated the decision... impending questions about financial irregularities... release of dodgy emails from one of their mps... or the total balls up she's made of the nhs, education, attainment gap, ferry decisions, grc.... etc etc!! And no obvious succesor... a total failure of leadership. Hopefully it'll mean the end of the snp/independence for a long long time!

And Mhairi Black? Seriously? I'm sure she's very nice... actually, I'm not at all sure she's very nice. But she is another straight out of Uni and into politics person with fuck all real life experience. She's 28, FFS.

All of the above exactly why she’d be ideal. It would finally undo any idea that the SNP can run a council country. Sturgeon has helped to inflate the egos and ideas of the numpties currently in charge (I’m looking at you, Yousless). Hopefully there’s a change in Westminster which trickles back into the political landscape of Scotland, people will finally wake up and realise how things need to change.

if I HAD to choose, I’d say Cherry would be the only one with my vote, but I’ve never voted for them in my entire voting life and that will never change.

Great, good riddance.

She's as awful as any of them.

No such thing as free!!

Im also celebrating

Free prescriptions for all too. No bedroom tax.

About time...yippee 🍾. Many happy people on a similar thread over here: www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4743270-sturgeon-is-quitting

Probably but she seems to have a bit more sense.
I mean in the ideal world surely they should call a Scottish election so voters don't have a first minister they didn't vote in........(bit like they shouted at Westminster for) but they aren't going to risk that one so at least having someone who doesn't make us in a worse position and chasing policies in court which are unwinnable is a start

And once again for the people at the back, not ‘free’ and in fact, paid for at a higher tax rate in Scotland. But ‘free’ is a catchier term for the glossy brochure.