Nicola Sturgeon hopes to remain party leader

HOLYROOD: Speculation mounts over the FM’s future in charge of the SNP

Nicola Sturgeon has said she hopes to stay SNP leader for the next few years as speculation mounts over her future in charge of the party.

Ms Sturgeon said her intention was to lead the SNP into next year’s election but acknowledged she was reflecting on internal frustration over the lack of progress towards a second referendum.

In an interview on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, the first minister also declined to give a cast-iron promise that a second independence vote would take place this year.

She emphasised that her priority was for a legal and legitimate referendum that would deliver independence.

But she failed to rule out legal action in a bid to get Holyrood to hold its own poll in the face of Westminster opposition.

The Scottish Government’s domestic failings, the resignation of disgraced former finance secretary Derek Mackay and the impatience of SNP activists on independence has led to Ms Sturgeon’s position being discussed.

Speculation has intensified with prominent SNP politicians Angus Robertson and Joanna Cherry QC lining themselves up to fight each other for the Edinburgh Central seat at Holyrood – a contest that has been characterised as a battle for the succession.

Asked by Mr Marr if she would stay in her position for the next few years, Ms Sturgeon answered: “Yes, I hope so.”

The SNP leader said she felt issues of frustration within the SNP could be “slightly overblown”, but she added: “All leaders should reflect on an ongoing basis on these issues.”

She went on to put two conditions on her remaining leader, adding that she did “intend to lead my party into the next Scottish Parliament and hopefully win that and stay as first minister”.

Sturgeon says “emphatically” that she has drive to continue.

The first condition for staying on was having the support of the SNP and the country. The second was that she still wanted the job and had the “drive and energy” to do it.

On the first condition, she said she had just led her party to a “landslide” victory in last year’s general election. On the second she said it was “emphatically the case” that she believed she was the right person for the job and had the drive and energy to continue.

“When either of these things cease to be the case then that’ll be the time for me to move on and do these other things that I’m keen to do in my lifetime,” Ms Sturgeon said. “That is not now and it is not imminent.”

Nicola Sturgeon is the most successful leader the Scottish National Party has ever known. The first minister has won an extraordinary six landslide election victories in as many years in the top position.

Her tenure has defied the laws of political gravity and established the SNP as the natural party of government in Scotland.

Yet persistent whispers that Ms Sturgeon’s time in charge could soon be coming to an end refuse to go away.

Discontent with the first minister among a small but vocal minority of the nationalist grassroots has become more acute in recent months.

There is palpable frustration in some quarters at the lack of progress towards a second independence referendum. The vexed issue of trans rights has also strained relations.

The upcoming selection contest between Sturgeon critic Joanna Cherry and Sturgeon loyalist Angus Robertson is likely to become a proxy war for these wider battles.

Nevertheless, the SNP remain comfortably ahead in the polls and support for independence is at a high watermark.

Ms Sturgeon is also blessed with her enemies. None of the other political parties in Scotland are worthy of the name of opposition.

It is a strange irony that the only threats to Ms Sturgeon’s continued dominance of Scottish politics are all in her own party.

Picture: PA. The first minister has said her intention is to lead the SNP into next year’s election.