Here's what we will need most from our next first minister

We were chatting away in the car when the news broke that the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had announced her resignation. It was complete shock if I am honest. I just remember realising I had been holding tight to my son’s knee when I finally let go. He was half giggling at my reaction – who knows what my face must have looked like.

We did get our breakfast and headed into what was a very sombre atmosphere in the office. We were all in a bit of a haze, and I can’t remember doing much except saying, “is this for real?”. Of course, there were tears, and emotional waves throughout.

As I listened to the woman I admired so much, I absolutely trusted her decision. I could see the genuine candour with which she spoke. She was considered and reflective on the pondering she had been doing over the past while.

What wasn’t surprising were the questions she was asked. Disappointing but not surprising. Here stood a woman who had helped to shape a Scotland where children are put first, and where vulnerable people take priority. Putting government money where their mouths were. Her mantle was one of tremendous strength. Yet everything was directed at negatives.

The outright misogyny on display all over social media afterwards was disgusting. The second she made her announcement, it was almost like the wolves were waiting to stick a knife in and spin it to tarnish any aspect of her tenure they could.

She will be one of the greatest leaders of all time – I do not say this lightly. We will look back on her time through the hardest moments and see how lucky we were, and although our UK press mostly don’t show it, we only need to look globally to how she is admired. A true statesperson of high calibre.

The mantle of FM comes with such huge responsibility to ensure the welfare of all the people of Scotland. To ensure that truth and integrity is defended. It is not a position to exert power over others, but to facilitate power on behalf of others. Nicola made the position her own and helped shape our modern-day SNP. It is true that the SNP have changed over the years, and parties generally do go through a transformative era over time.

The SNP is a party of progressive policies, that’s not in any doubt, particularly looking at our manifesto commitments and resolutions passed at conference. Good governance, leadership, our independence agenda and progressive policy are what keeps us winning time after time.

Just ask the 70% of young people who would vote for independence what party they align with. To abandon our young cohort is to abandon what we have achieved. To be so ignorant to assume we have the vote of these people regardless of progressive values is a shocking admission of ignorance.

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I hesitate to speak of gender recognition reform in this piece but it can’t be dismissed when so much of the press is trying to make the leadership contest all about that. I was delighted to hear about the progressive advances in other countries, such as the LGBT legislation passed in Spain last week – self-ID from 14, a conversion therapy ban and same-sex lesbian mothers recognised.

It makes our GRR Bill look practically mediocre and begs the question, why do some support the consistent attack on trans rights when other countries have no issue and haven’t had any with it being implemented for years.

Running on divisive tickets has done well for many movements in the past. We only need to look at the disastrous Brexit, the racist wedge issues and the winning of a referendum that was without substance. Political popularity off the back of division works, unfortunately. I truly hope we don’t descend into that. I love the saying that asks us to judge by deeds not words. To see the fruit of a person’s labour is when we uncover the seeds they have sown. That certainly sticks with me when making decisions.

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How can anyone supporting a Section 35 order be a true independence supporter? To put caveats on what power grab we fight surely raises some serious questions? To cheer on the power play of the Westminster Government over the Scottish Parliament is a dereliction of the mandate we stood on. It’s embarrassing to hand over powers so easily. That surely isn’t the fruits of the seeds we have been planting.

How does that convince those who can’t afford their heating bills, or get a GP appointment, that independence will benefit them?

My inbox is full of emails from people with issues which I know we could handle much better in an independent Scotland, so we need to show our deeds, not just words.

In Parliament we have the chance to shape a Scotland that people have confidence in, one that stands separate from the right-wing archaic UK Parliament.

What would those undecided voters think of those who are happy to hand over power to the UK Government because they apparently don’t trust the decisions of their own Scottish Parliament or disagree with a democratic decision. That is not a convincing vote-winner. It is in fact a shameful shun of Scottish democracy.

I look forward to our next FM having compassion, kindness, and true humanity. One who takes the mantle seriously for the right reasons and helps our diverse nation become the inclusive and caring independent nation I know we can be. Integrity, and deeds not words.