Nicola Sturgeon
Nicola Sturgeon
Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon PCis a Scottish politician who is the fifth and current First Minister of Scotland and the leader of the Scottish National Party, in office since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. Sturgeon has been a member of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, first as an additional member for the Glasgow electoral region from 1999 to 2007, and as the member for Glasgow Southside since 2007...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth19 July 1970
CityIrvine, Scotland
The total impact of the Tory/Liberal tax, welfare and public spending changes has hit the poorest 10% in society disproportionately hard - and women have been affected even more badly than men.
Tax credits are designed to help people who work hard but who, through no fault of their own, don't earn enough to keep their families out of poverty.
Sporting success doesn't happen by accident. It takes hard work and determination on the part of the individual athletes. And it also takes investment in facilities and training support.
It is hard to overstate the economic importance of the U.S.A. to Scotland, and that makes it essential that we engage with companies and potential investors and get the message across that we are open for business.
Many hard working people in low paid jobs get housing benefit.
Isn't it the case, ... that there were deep divisions inside the executive over the issue and rather than tell the prime minister that, the first minister chose to abdicate responsibility and stay completely silent.
I've never had a voice coach, but I am about to name drop horrendously here: I did once get some advice on how to project my voice from Sean Connery, which was lovely. It's all about where you breathe. That's my claim to fame.
The Scottish Government will continue to do all it can to get people into work.
Personally, I can think of no greater privilege than to lead the party I joined when I was just 16.
The teachers who taught me at Dreghorn Primary and Greenwood Academy were fantastic.
There's nothing in my background that would have said I was destined to be a senior politician.
I was very proud, on just my second day in office, to appoint a gender-balanced cabinet - one of only three in the developed world.
I thought if people were going to talk about what I wear, wouldn't it be good if they were talking about who designed it, who made it and if that's a Scottish company, so teaming up with Totty Rocks has been fantastic.
Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, it is possible for other parties to change the direction of a government without bringing a government down.