The announcement of the First Minister’s resignation was greeted in West Lothian with the surprise seen across the country.
The local party leader paid tribute to Nicola Sturgeon for her “exemplary leadership of the Scottish National Party.”
Councillor Janet Campbell, leader of the West Lothian said she was “as surprised as everyone else” at last week’s announcement.
And she hit out at the way Ms Sturgeon had been treated by sections of the British press, saying “no other politician has been attacked in the way Nicola has had to endure.”
Announcing her resignation this morning at a press conference in the official residence Bute House the First Minister said she has been “wrestling” with the question of her future for some weeks.
She said her decision had arisen from a “deeper and longer term assessment” than recent political pressures, and that she’d been wrestling with it for “some weeks”
Ms Sturgeon added: “My decision comes from a place of duty and love.”
Mrs Campbell who leads the 15 strong group of SNP councillors on West Lothian Council, said: “Nicola has been an excellent First Minister and is head and shoulders above anyone else who has held the post. She is principled and is highly regarded by folks the length and breadth of Scotland internationally.
“She led Scotland through the Covid-19 pandemic admirably and ensured that people were given clear, precise and factual information - her abilities again were recognised internationally.
“She is compassionate and personable and has the ability to bring people with her - her leadership of the Scottish National Party has been exemplary.
“The way in which she has been treated by sections of the media and by Westminster politicians has been nothing more than appalling - no other politician has been attacked in the way Nicola has had to endure. Nicola has paved the way for Scotland’s independence and I’m sure she still has a role to play.”
Depute group leader at West Lothian Council, Councillor Robert De Bold said: “Under Nicola, the SNP have been unassailable in Scottish politics - she has seen off a near countless succession of Scottish Labour and Scottish Conservative leaders and has outlasted four UK Prime Ministers.
“I understand that after more 8 years and being the longest serving First Minister since the establishment of the office that she has decided to move on.
It is sad that she is departing, but it is a rare achievement in politics that she is leaving under her own terms and at a time of her own choosing.”
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