Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed she will step down as First Minister of Scotland.
The leader of the Scottish National Party confirmed the announcement at a hastily arranged news conference in Bute House, Edinburgh this morning.
Ms Sturgeon has been in the position for more than eight years after taking over from Alex Salmond in November 2014 following the independence referendum.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon resignation LIVE updates as First Minister to step down after eight years
She confirmed she will remain in office until a successor is found.
Ms Sturgeon has said she knows the "time is now" for her to stand down as Scotland's First Minister: "Since my very first moments in the job I have believed a part of serving well would be to know almost instinctively when the time is right to make way for someone else.
"In my head and in my heart I know that time is now. That it's right for me, for my party and my country."
She added: "I am a human being as well as a politician."
Ms Sturgeon added that she is proud to be the longest-serving and first woman to hold the role of First Minister since the creation of the Scottish Parliament.
The First Minister, however, has faced controversy in recent months as her Government sought to push through gender reforms, only for them to be blocked by the UK Government.
And recent weeks have seen her forced to deal with the housing of transgender prisoners in women's facilities.
However, she confirmed the decision was "not a response to short term pressures".
She added: "If this was just a question of my ability or resilience to get through the later period of pressure, I wouldn't be standing here today."
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