This article appears as part of the Unspun: Scottish Politics newsletter.
Nicola Sturgeon’s remarks on the lack of future female party leaders in Holyrood has certainly ruffled a few feathers.
The former SNP leader has been accused of being egotistical and delusional following the comments made in London at the weekend.
Did she simply mean that politics was now an unwelcoming place for women – or was she hinting at the quality of MSPs in Scotland? That’s for you to decide but the consequences of her comments will be felt as an insult mostly by her proteges and the women who sat around the cabinet table with her.
Ms Sturgeon, speaking at the St Andrew’s Book Festival in London, reminisced on politics from around a decade ago when she led the SNP, Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tories and Kezia Dugdale at the helm of Scottish Labour.
Scotland’s first female first minister described that as a “breakthrough moment”.
But she went on to say: “Fast forward a few years, and none of these parties are led by women.
“That’s not the issue. The issue is that, if I’m honest, if I look around the Scottish Parliament right now, I can’t say with any certainty that there will be another female leader any time soon.”
Was this a slight on the likes of Mairi McAllan – a former special adviser to Sturgeon – who has worked her way up through the party ranks to serve as Housing Secretary.
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She is widely tipped as the future party leader and is one of the brightest prospects in the SNP. Will she feel hurt by Ms Sturgeon’s remarks?
While the former SNP leader is right that there are no female leaders from the top three parties in Holyrood, Labour’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie is notoriously known for the power she holds behind the scenes.
And Rachael Hamilton, the Scottish Tories deputy leader, is surely considered one of the most likely prospects to replace Russell Findlay.
There’s also Kate Forbes, who almost beat Humza Yousaf to replace Ms Sturgeon in 2023. While she’s stepping down and therefore out of any leadership race in the future, there’s no doubt she would be in with a chance if she wanted it.
Scottish Tory leader Mr Findlay told journalists in Edinburgh that the remarks sounded like the “classic Nicola Sturgeon ego and delusion”.
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He accused the former SNP leader of claiming to “champion women” while effectively stating her “female proteges aren’t good enough which is a bit of a body blow to them but also to the party that Nicola Sturgeon says she represents”.
Kezia Dugdale also waded in on the political storm that is brewing. Speaking on BBC Scotcast she said women in politics “face far higher levels of scrutiny” than their male counterparts.
Surely then, the last thing they need is that criticism coming from their own side?
Ms Dugdale was in the audience for Ms Sturgeon’s London book event, and gave context to the comment, adding it was a “broader reflection” on politics 10 years ago.
The former Scottish Labour leader accused Ms Sturgeon of looking at the issue through “rose tinted glasses”.
But does she see female leaders in the chamber? “Well of course I do,” Ms Dugdale said.
As Scotland’s first female first minister, Ms Sturgeon opened the door to younger women, showing them it was possible. She became a role model for many within her own party and for girls across the country.
Ms Sturgeon may not have intended to criticise the quality of female politicians in Holyrood, but the truth is that she did.
For a politician normally so careful with her words, this was a misstep.
