Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced she will not seek re-election to Holyrood next year.
Ms Sturgeon – who represents the Glasgow Southside constituency – made the announcement on Instagram on Wednesday.
Here is the reaction from Scottish politicians as the SNP stalwart bids farewell.
5. Scottish Conservative deputy Rachel Hamilton
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said the public would not forget the division caused by Ms Sturgeon. She said: “We wish any departing MSP well, regardless of their party or politics. “But we cannot forget the deep divisions in our country that Nicola Sturgeon created, fostered and encouraged. “By any objective analysis, her record as First Minister is one of failure. Scottish education standards collapsed on her watch and the poverty-related attainment gap, which she promised to eradicate, widened. “She presided over a drugs-death emergency, a ferries scandal, a crisis in our NHS, crumbling roads – and all while raising taxes on hard-working Scots, which stifled economic growth. “Her reckless gender self-ID policy betrayed women, her soft-touch approach to justice betrayed victims and her shameful deletion of Covid WhatsApp messages denied bereaved families answers and highlighted the secrecy and cynicism that characterised her government.” | Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
6. Angus Robertson
Angus Robertson MSP said working with Ms Sturgeon was "an honour". He said: "Nicola Sturgeon has been the most consequential politician of my generation in Scotland and provided important national leadership at a time of crisis during the covid pandemic. It was an honour to serve in her government and I wish her well." Photo: Jeff J Mitchell
7. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “Whatever you think of her legacy, Nicola Sturgeon’s impact on Scottish politics has been undeniable. “The SNP have been in power for too long, and the departure of another big figure is further proof of their decline. “For so many people across Scotland, it feels like nothing works anymore. Next year, they will have a chance to draw a line under SNP division and neglect. At the 2026 election, Scottish Liberal Democrats will be focused on standing up for faster access to local healthcare, lifting up education and giving our economy the attention it deserves.” Photo: hy
8. Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop
Linlithgow MSP Fiona Hyslop, who will herself stand down at next year's Scottish election, said: "Nicola Sturgeon has been such a formidable force in Scottish politics, the most successful leader in electoral success and a passionate advocate of tackling poverty, which has always driven her and as First Minister she always led from the front. Best wishes for her next chapter." Photo: Submitted