Sturgeon confirmed as First Minister

A former practising solicitor has become Scotland's first woman First Minister.

New SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon will take the oath of office in the Court of Session tomorrow (Thursday), succeeding Alex Salmond who announced his resignation after Scotland voted against his dream of the country becoming an independent nation.

Born in Irvine in 1970, Ms Sturgeon qualified as a solicitor and worked in Drumchapel Law Centre, but having been an SNP member from the age of 16, she turned full time politician in 1999 when she won a Glasgow list seat to become a member for the first session of the newly devolved Scottish Parliament. She has held the Glasgow Govan constituency since 2007.

In the Parliament she held opposition spokesperson briefs on education, justice and health, and became SNP deputy leader when Alex Salmond became leader in 2004, having run with him on a joint ticket. When the party formed the administration after the 2007 election she was appointed Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health. After the return of the majority SNP Government in 2011 and the agreement of Westminster to hold the independence referendum, she was put in charge of negotiating with the UK Government and then setting up the referendum arrangements.

She was unopposed as SNP leader on Mr Salmond's resignation.

Following her confirmation as First Minister, Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick said she was proud as the first woman Presiding Officer to welcome Ms Sturgeon as the first woman First Minister.

On taking office, Ms Sturgeon told the Parliament: "My pledge today to every citizen of our country is simple but it is heartfelt – I will be first minister for all of Scotland, regardless of your politics or your point of view.

"My job is to serve you and I promise that I will do so to the very best of my ability."

She added: "I hope that it sends a strong, positive message to girls and young women, indeed to all women, across our land – there should be no limit to your ambition for what you can achieve.

"If you are good enough and if you work hard enough, the sky is the limit and no glass ceiling should ever stop you from achieving your dreams."