Nicola Sturgeon is going nowhere

Received wisdom has it that Scotland’s embattled First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is considering her position. ‘She’s finished’ has become a mantra in political circles over the last few days. And not without justification: her absence from a key debate in Holyrood last week did suggest an announcement of some kind might be imminent; perhaps a white flag raised from Bute House. 

But Sturgeon emerged from her bunker and was back in action at a press conference in Edinburgh yesterday, answering questions concerning her currently stymied Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill and matters of almost equal awkwardness on SNP finances. She was dressed rather boldly in Thatcherite blue, which seemed to cock an ironic snoop at all those ‘Sturgeon’s poll tax’ comparisons made recently. She didn’t say the lady’s not for turning but did, sort of, confirm that it was still her intention to contest the Section 35 order blocking her gender bill.