Newspaper headlines: Sturgeon's resignation and Bulley 'alcohol issues'
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"I want my independence" is the headline in Scotland's Daily Record as it reports the resignation of Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon. It shows an image of the First Minister waving to members of the public from Edinburgh's Bute House. The paper also promises analytical pieces including one that calls her a champion of feminism.
Fellow Scottish paper the Herald reports on Sturgeon's “candid, at times tearful, but generally upbeat" resignation speech. The paper’s front page also previews a flurry of analysis inside, with the paper’s political editor saying her speech was a “shock” to politics – in Scotland and beyond.
The I leads with an image of Sturgeon seemingly wiping away a tear during her press conference at Bute House, and reports that her resignation could set back Scotland’s independence bid “by decades”. It says the decision has created “turmoil” in the independence movement, with efforts for a second referendum now “all but dead”.
Sturgeon's resignation has left the Scottish National Party at "the crossroads", says the Financial Times, adding that her strategy for securing independence caused a backlash, while there was also "controversy" over proposed gender laws. The paper also says that the development could boost Labour's chances of a UK-wide majority in the next general election. Away from political developments, the paper also reports that an Iranian-American billionaire, Jahm Najafi, is planning a billion-dollar takeover of Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur.
It is a fairly straight headline from the Guardian, which reports that Sturgeon quit because of "brutality in politics". The top of the front page also previews an investigation the paper has conducted into an "election hacking and propaganda unit" around the world.
The Times says that Sturgeon’s resignation will serve as a “huge boost” to unionism, and a “generational setback" to efforts for Scottish independence. As well as an image of “Hollywood siren” Raquel Welch, who has died at the age of 82, the paper also reports that the UK risks falling behind France as “Nato’s foremost military power" in Europe.
The Daily Telegraph’s take on Sturgeon’s resignation is that her “radical approach” to transgender rights cost her the support of her party. Alongside an image of the outgoing SNP leader during her speech, the paper also includes an analysis by its Scottish editor, who says it was Sturgeon’s “ferocious belief in her own ability” that brought about her demise. There is bad news for fans of the Telegraph's cartoonist, Matt, who is away, the paper says
The Metro combines the news of Sturgeon’s resignation with developments south of the border, where Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer banned his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn from standing for the party at the next general election. The paper says the Islington North MP has been “Corbinned” and describes both developments as the “changing of the old guard”, on what it says was “a day of huge political shocks”.
The Daily Mail says Sturgeon has stood down “with her dream in tatters”, adding that her decision has “plunged Scotland into turmoil”. It also previews an analysis by the journalist Andrew Neil, who describes her “legacy of failure”. It also reports on developments regarding the disappearance of Nicola Bulley, notably police remarks that she had "significant alcohol issues".
The Daily Mirror also focuses its attention on the continued search for Nicola Bulley, who has been missing since late January. It reports on the remarks made by police that she was experiencing “significant issues with alcohol”, and was identified as a “high-risk” missing person because of “specific vulnerabilities”. The paper also previews a tribute to “screen goddess” Raquel Welch.
The Daily Express leads with the same remarks about Nicola Bulley, with police describing her as “vulnerable” and struggling with the menopause. The paper also previews an analysis inside its pages which asks if the British union is safer after the departure of Nicola Sturgeon.