Irish Examiner view: Hallmarks of politics old and new

Nicola Sturgeon’s exit

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaking during a press conference at Bute House in Edinburgh where she has announced that she will stand down as First Minister of Scotland after eight years. 

Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation as first minister of Scotland surprised many observers when she announced her departure at an unscheduled press call on Wednesday.

Sturgeon’s departure draws together some political threads that typify the age, and some which are ageless.

For instance, when drawn into the controversy surrounding transgender rapist Isla Bryson, Sturgeon gave an unconvincing performance when questioned on where Bryson should be jailed, illustrating the difficulties that arise when legislation intended to address this sensitive area collides with the realities of political life.

Brexit is another of the great challenges of modern political life, and Sturgeon advocated for a ‘remain’ vote in Scotland. The country duly rejected Brexit, but the success of the ‘leave’ campaign in the UK has posed real questions about the future of the union. 

It remains to be seen if Scotland’s push for independence will accelerate or slow down under Sturgeon’s successor, and whether another referendum on independence is to be held.

Her resignation also raises broader political questions. 

Coming so soon after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stepped down, Sturgeon’s departure underlines fundamental problems with the sustainability of political life. In her departure speech, Sturgeon pointed out that “ordinary stuff that most people take for granted”, such as going for a coffee with friends or for a walk on her own, is very difficult for politicians.

This would no doubt be recognised by many politicians in Ireland, particularly those who have recently been forced to endure harassment and assaults in the course of their work.

The fact that most of those suffering harassment are women, like Sturgeon and Ardern, reinforces the sense of loss when female leaders such as those two leave the stage, and raises questions about the calibre of person entering, and remaining, in politics.

Sturgeon’s career isn’t an entirely 21st-century political case study. One of the shadows hanging over her departure is an ongoing police investigation into her party’s spending of £600,000 (€674k) earmarked for independence campaigning. 

Questions have also been raised about a £107,000 loan from Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell to the SNP, of which he is chief executive. That combination — financial investigation and political resignation — is as old as politics itself.