10 of Nicola Sturgeon's most memorable moments as Scotland's first minister resigns

Nicola Sturgeon has resigned after more than eight years as Scotland's first minister.

Speaking at a press conference today, the politician said the job sustained her through "toughest hours in toughest days" - but added it is important to know "almost instinctively when the time is right to make way for someone else".

She said: "Today I am announcing my intention to step down as first minister and leader of my party.

"I will remain in office until my successor is elected."

She acknowledged some will be "upset", and joked that others will "cope just fine" with the news.

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Sturgeon has been a member of the Scottish Parliament since 1999 and became the deputy leader of the SNP in 2004.

She then took over as leader from Alex Salmond after the defeat in the independence referendum.

Here are 10 of the most memorable moments from her eight years in power.

1. When she took down Richard Tice in a Brexit debate

This iconic moment happened in 2019 when Sturgeon called out the Brexiteer over his support for the policy and hinted it could lead to problems for the NHS.

Her quick wit left the audience in stitches.

2. When she got hit in the head playing swingball - but took it like a champ

Also in 2019, the politician visited Glasgow and played the popular game her SNP colleague Anne McLaughlin.

Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse when the ball hit her in the head but she joked about it on Twitter showing all is well that ends well.

3. Her celebration after Jo Swinson lost her seat

When the Lib Dem lost her seat to the SNP in the 2019 general election, Sturgeon was filmed by Sky News celebrating by shaking her fists triumphantly and laughing.

Some people thought it was a tasteless way to respond, while others more sympathetic to her causes found it funny.

4. When she slammed Boris Johnson for claiming there is no Scottish border

Sturgeon slammed Johnson’s “absurd and ridiculous political comments” claiming there is no Scottish border and urged him to focus on the coronavirus pandemic.

It came during the height of the pandemic in 2020 when Johnson objected to reports that Scotland might impose quarantine on people arriving from England. He went as far as to say such reports were “disgraceful” and that there is “no such thing as a border between England and Scotland”.

Sturgeon called his words "absurd" and who can blame her?

5. When she trolled Johnson over his trip to Scotland

Her arguments with Johnson didn't stop there and in the same year, she trolled him over his planned visit to Scotland which he took to promote the union.

She tweeted:

6. When she called Britain First "fascist racists"

In footage circulating on social media during local elections, Jayda Fransen - former deputy leader of Britain First and an independent candidate in Glasgow Southside harangued her rival on the campaign trail.

“You’re a fascist and a racist,” Sturgeon said, walking away from Fransen and trying not to engage with her ‘rival’ who contested the same seat in the election.

“Do you really think Marxism is best for Scotland?” Fransen asked Sturgeon, a social democrat, and claimed it was Sturgeon who was “racist”, apropos of nothing and embarked on an anti-immigration rant.

But Sturgeon stayed firmly on message. “You are a fascist. You are a racist. And the Southside of Glasgow will reject you,” she said.

That they did and Fransen only got a handful of votes.

7. When she became a meme

During the same election, Sturgeon was papped with her thumbs up and became a meme. If that isn't a political legacy, we don't know what is.

8. When her shoes were nicked by a toddler

Sturgeon was cruelly robbed after she took her shoes off to stand on some Astroturf, during a trip to a nursery near Stirling in which she set out government priorities for early years education in 2021.

The perpetrator of the crime was a toddler who kneeled on the ground with her hands in her high heels as the First Minister laughed behind her, appearing powerless to stop the brazen thief in her tracks. Unashamed about her crime, the toddler laughed.

Sturgeon did get her shoes back, though.

9. When Liz Truss called her an "attention seeker" and she had the last laugh

During a Tory party hustings in Exeter last summer, when the Truss premiership had not yet happened, the then foreign secretary drew criticism after she criticised the Scottish leader in a conversation about whether there could be another Scottish independence referendum.

“The best thing to do with Nicola Sturgeon is ignore her,” she said at the time. "I’m sorry, she’s an attention seeker, that’s what she is.”

Here's how Sturgeon reacted:

10. When she criticised Suella Braverman over the Rwanda plan

Last October, Sturgeon appeared to slam Braverman's Tory party conference comments about her 'dream' of a plane taking off for Rwanda.

The SNP leader spoke to the sound of cheers and applause at the party's annual conference.

"My dream is that we live in a world where those fleeing violence and oppression are shown compassion and are treated like human beings" she blasted. "Not shown the door and bundled onto planes like unwanted cargo."

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