It's the end of an era with Nicola Sturgeon's departure - her time in office was historic
23 March 2023, 18:07
It is the end of an era. The end of eight years and four months of Nicola Sturgeon's First Ministership.
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The end of "I'll take no lessons from you" and "it's worse in England and Wales" when answering the queries from the opposition benches during First Minister's Questions - no matter who was leading them at any time. Or for SNP supporters, the end of "Nicola getting them telt".
And it was emotional. Never an ice-queen, but always reserved, Nicola Sturgeon has not worn her heart on her sleeve. But her final words as First Minister were enough to make her long-serving deputy, John Swinney, bow his head, his shoulders shaking, while she too had to choke back tears as she declared that serving the people of Scotland had been the privilege of her life.
The silence in which her words were listened to by MSPs of all hues, and the tributes paid, were both in huge contrast to just an hour earlier when Douglas Ross and Anas Sarwar made clear that despite this being Nicola Sturgeon's final (if 286th) outing at FMQs, they were not going to pull their punches.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross had caused uproar accusing the SNP of having "lied" to the press over its membership numbers. The L word is not allowed in the Chamber.
Nicola Sturgeon leaves chamber after addressing Parliament for final time as First Minister of Scotland
True to form Nicola Sturgeon said she would "not take lectures" from the Conservatives about honesty and integrity while Boris Johnson was being questioned about Partygate. She also challenged Douglas Ross to cough up his own party membership figures. He was less than forthcoming.
But he did question her record in government, pointing to the attainment gap, drugs death, NHS waiting times - and those ferries which have been in dry dock almost as long as she has been FM.
It was a theme continued by Scottish Labour's Anas Sarwar who claimed not a single Scottish institution has been left stronger after her time in office.
She bit back saying she was not only proud of policies from the Scottish Child Payment and the baby box scheme to the abolishment of prescription charges and free period products - but proud of her party's election winning record of eight out of eight.
Read more: Emotional Nicola Sturgeon wipes away tear in final speech as Scotland's First Minister
That track record has been hard won, and long in the planning. So today then is also the end of nearly 30 years of an SNP project, hatched by Nicola Sturgeon, Alex Salmond, John Swinney and Mike Russell to take their party from political also-rans, to the heights of government - and as they so keenly hoped, to independence.
They have failed in the latter, but for the last 16 years they have ruled Scotland, and even with a blemished domestic record there is no other political party which is close to catching them. The SNP is even the third largest party in Westminster - a statement that back in 1967 when Winnie Ewing was first elected, even she would never have thought possible to make.
It has certainly been a hard time for Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrat politicians and their supporters.
But it's been a good time for the SNP. A new leader will be announced on Monday - so will the good times continue, or is this the start of a slide which could see the Nationalists out of government once more?
All that is for the future. Today a small figure, dressed head to toe in royal blue, left the chamber by herself, walking out to a standing ovation and the resounding clapping of the SNP backbenches, the people she used to lead.
Her time in office has been anything but small; historic was the word she used when she was elected as the first female FM - and no matter which side of the constitutional debate on which you sit, no matter what you think of Nicola Sturgeon, that cannot be in doubt.
