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| Alex Salmond's resignation could give Nicola Sturgeon her day of destiny | Alex Salmond's resignation could give Nicola Sturgeon her day of destiny |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Alex Salmond's shock resignation leaves the way open for 44-year-old Nicola Sturgeon, the woman who many already believed was destined to become the first female leader of the Scottish government. | Alex Salmond's shock resignation leaves the way open for 44-year-old Nicola Sturgeon, the woman who many already believed was destined to become the first female leader of the Scottish government. |
| The only bar to an orderly transition – Holyrood's health minister, Alex Neil, and the Westminster MP Angus Robertson have already been mentioned as potential challengers – would be the Scottish National party's resistance to anointment, but for a party that has been so disciplined throughout the referendum campaign it is unlikely that this will trump the desire for unity, especially while there is a further devolution deal to be hammered out. | |
| The referendum results, which saw significant successes for the yes campaign in the west central belt, mark a shift in the geographical centre of the SNP, one party insider suggests, and Sturgeon's base in Glasgow's south side puts her in a strong position to rebuild from there. Sturgeon makes no secret of being to the left of Salmond, and a similar shift in the political centre of gravity of the SNP is expected. | The referendum results, which saw significant successes for the yes campaign in the west central belt, mark a shift in the geographical centre of the SNP, one party insider suggests, and Sturgeon's base in Glasgow's south side puts her in a strong position to rebuild from there. Sturgeon makes no secret of being to the left of Salmond, and a similar shift in the political centre of gravity of the SNP is expected. |
| The two-year referendum campaign has seen Sturgeon grow in stature. Aside from Salmond himself, she was the most visible politician on the yes side, and the most visible woman: one criticism of an otherwise faultless and highly organised campaign is that she failed to close the gap in support for independence among female voters. | The two-year referendum campaign has seen Sturgeon grow in stature. Aside from Salmond himself, she was the most visible politician on the yes side, and the most visible woman: one criticism of an otherwise faultless and highly organised campaign is that she failed to close the gap in support for independence among female voters. |
| Travelling all across Scotland over the summer to speak to local supporters and undecided voters, Sturgeon worked phenomenally hard. She connected with ordinary Scots in a way that some suggest Salmond did not. One observer believes that in the first televised debate, when he flailed against Alistair Darling, Salmond was not "battle ready" in the way that Sturgeon would have been, having answered such questions from voters every night of the week. | Travelling all across Scotland over the summer to speak to local supporters and undecided voters, Sturgeon worked phenomenally hard. She connected with ordinary Scots in a way that some suggest Salmond did not. One observer believes that in the first televised debate, when he flailed against Alistair Darling, Salmond was not "battle ready" in the way that Sturgeon would have been, having answered such questions from voters every night of the week. |
| On Monday she appeared to distance herself from the first minister, who said that demonstrations against the BBC's Nick Robinson were "peaceful and joyous", suggesting that protesters would be better employed spending the final days "not protesting against something but campaigning for something". | On Monday she appeared to distance herself from the first minister, who said that demonstrations against the BBC's Nick Robinson were "peaceful and joyous", suggesting that protesters would be better employed spending the final days "not protesting against something but campaigning for something". |
| As she expressed her heartfelt disappointment at the result early on Friday morning, it was worth remembering that Sturgeon has been working towards a referendum on Scottish independence her whole political life – which began at the tender age of 16 when she first joined the SNP. | As she expressed her heartfelt disappointment at the result early on Friday morning, it was worth remembering that Sturgeon has been working towards a referendum on Scottish independence her whole political life – which began at the tender age of 16 when she first joined the SNP. |
| If Sturgeon were to become leader in November, and if Johann Lamont soldiered on after the mauling that Scottish Labour experienced during the referendum campaign, Scotland would be in the position where all three main parties were headed by women. | If Sturgeon were to become leader in November, and if Johann Lamont soldiered on after the mauling that Scottish Labour experienced during the referendum campaign, Scotland would be in the position where all three main parties were headed by women. |