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Nicola Sturgeon is to stand down as Scotland’s First Minister after eight years in the role, according to reports.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) leader is expected to make the announcement in a news conference in Edinburgh at 11am.
The BBC reported a source close to Ms Sturgeon saying: “She’s had enough.”
Ms Sturgeon has been the country’s longest-serving First Minister after taking over from Alex Salmond in November 2014 .
As the key figure pushing for another referendum, her resignation could be seen as a huge blow to the Scottish independence movement.
The First Minister, however, has been mired in controversy in recent months as her Government sought to push through gender reforms, only for them to be blocked by Westminster.
She has also faced a row over the housing of transgender prisoners in women’s facilities.
It is not yet clear if she will stand down immediately, or continue in the role until a new SNP leader is elected.
Her departure will immediately raise Labour hopes of seizing a slew of Scottish seats at the next General Election, expected in 2024, and gaining an overall majority.
But with no obvious successor, the SNP is expected to be in a weaker position to win public backing in Scotland to break up the United Kingdom.
Ms Sturgeon took over from Mr Salmond, her mentor, but fell out with him spectacularly over the handling of sexual harassment allegations made against him, which he always denied.
In 2019 Ms Sturgeon referred herself to an independent ministerial ethics body after admitting that she had a secret meeting and subsequent phone call with Mr Salmond about the allegations against him.
More than two years later the report concluded that Ms Sturgeon did not breach the ministerial code.
Her party will meet next month to discuss treating the next UK election as a “de facto referendum”, with more than 50 per cent of the vote being considered a mandate to begin negotiations for Scotland to become an independent country.
The SNP, which runs the Scottish Parliament with the Greens, has 45 MPs at Westminster.
Source:Evenning Standard