Nicola Sturgeon to make history with Glasgow Pride speech

Nicola Sturgeon will become the first serving First Minister of Scotland to address Scotland's largest LGBTI festival when she gives a speech at Glasgow's Pride this weekend.

Nicola Sturgeon is set to make history by speaking at Glasgow Pride this weekend. Picture: AFP/Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon confirmed her appearance at the festival on Saturday with posts on both her personal and First Minister Twitter accounts.

According to SNP MP Stewart McDonald, Ms Sturgeon’s participation will make her the ‘first ever serving First Minister and head of government anywhere in the UK to take part in Pride’.

Ms Sturgeon added that it would be a ‘privilege’ to take part, in a tweet from her personal account.

More than 5,000 people are expected to take part in the event on August 19 and 20, at Glasgow Green, with Irish band B*Witched, Finnish singer-songwriter Saara Aalto and former N-Trance singer Kelly Llorenna all appearing.

Ms Sturgeon said in an article with the Pink News prior to the general election that the SNP was ‘fully committed to securing full equality for LGBTI people,’ adding: “Equality and human rights are fundamental to our values and aims as a progressive social democratic party, and we have a strong record of championing LGBTI equality in government and at Westminster.”

A record number of LGBTI MPs were elected to the UK parliament in June’s general election, with 45 gay, lesbian or bisexual members returned - an increase of six on the previous parliament.

And the SNP registered the largest proportion of that number, with seven of its 35 MPs identifying as LGBTI.