Sturgeon 'at peace and comfortable' with decision to step down, says Swinney

Nicola Sturgeon is “at peace” after her shock resignation as first minister, her friend and political ally John Swinney has told Sky News.

The deputy first minister, who confirmed on Thursday night that he would not be entering the leadership race, said his boss was “comfortable” with her decision to bow out after eight years in charge.

He said it had been a “tough week” but stated that Ms Sturgeon had handled the announcement “magnificently”.

“In my conversations with her, she’s very much at peace with her decision,” he told Sky News.

“She thinks she made the right decision and she’s comfortable with that.

“So, if you’re comfortable with your decisions then I think there’s a lot of contentment and satisfaction that comes with that. So, I’m pleased about that for Nicola.”

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Mr Swinney, who has been in the Scottish Parliament since 1999 and served as leader of the SNP between 2000 and 2004, said it was a “very difficult decision” not to run as first minister.

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He added: “And I have no doubt that if I’d entered the contest for the SNP leadership, I could very well have won it and become the first minister. But in my judgement, this is the time for some fresh thinking in the Scottish National Party.”

The Perthshire North MSP said it’s important that senior figures like himself “create some space” so as the party can plan its next steps in the campaign for indyref2.

Late on Thursday night, the SNP confirmed that its special conference on 19 March to discuss independence had been “postponed”.

Mr Swinney said: “This is a moment where the SNP needs to think very carefully about how it takes forward the campaign for independence.

“I don’t for a moment think that the prospects of independence are in any way diminished by the events of this week.

“I just think the SNP has got to demonstrate exactly how it will deliver independence as a consequence of the obstacles that have been put in our way by the intransigence of the UK government.”

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Mr Swinney said whoever steps into Ms Sturgeon’s shoes will have his “full support”.

However, whoever takes over the role must “anchor” the party to continue its success.

He noted: “We’ve got to make sure that we are a united political force.”

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The last few months have been difficult for the party with rifts exposed amid a debate around self-ID and the Scottish government’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which was blocked by the UK government.

Mr Swinney added: “What the last 20 years or so tell us about the SNP, is [that] when we’re anchored in the mainstream of Scottish politics, we will be successful.

“When we’re not anchored in the mainstream of Scottish politics, we won’t.”

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