Politics

Varadkar hails Nicola Sturgeon as a ‘true European’ after shock resignation

Sturgeon’s decision to step down as Scotland’s first minister comes amid a turbulent time for the country’s independence movement

Sturgeon said: “In my head and in my heart I know that time is now.” Picture: Getty

Leo Varadkar described Nicola Sturgeon as a “true European” after she resigned as Scotland’s first minister in a surprise move that will reverberate across UK politics.

Sturgeon, aged 52, has headed the semi-autonomous administration in Edinburgh since 2014. The decision to step down comes after an unusually turbulent time for Sturgeon and leaves her Scottish National Party — and the independence campaign — looking for a new figurehead without a clear road map.

At a ...