Scottish nationalists pick Sturgeon to lead fight for independence

Scottish nationalists cleared the way on Wednesday for Nicola Sturgeon, a prominent figure in the failed campaign for independence in last month's referendum, to become the country's next first minister. Sturgeon will succeed Alex Salmond as leader of the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) next month and take over his job as head of the Scottish government for complex negotiations with Britain's rulers on transferring extra powers to Edinburgh.
In what some nationalists termed a coronation, Deputy SNP leader Sturgeon was the only candidate nominated by the party to succeed Salmond, who announced his resignation after Scots rejected independence in the referendum on September 18. Setting out her goals, Sturgeon said she would concentrate on improving employment and public services as well as holding Westminster politicians to account, accusing them of backsliding on promises of more autonomy for Scotland.
"My job will to be to... deliver strong, competent government with job creation, fairness and the protection of high quality public services at its heart," she said in a statement to news agencies. But Sturgeon, a 44-year-old former lawyer, made clear she has not given up on achieving independence from the United Kingdom. "I believe Scotland will become an independent country well within my lifetime," she told the BBC later.
The unanimous nomination by the SNP, which has an outright majority in the Scottish parliament, means Sturgeon will assume her post on November 14 and become the first female First Minister of Scotland, where the leaders of the two other main parties are also women. Scots voted 55 to 45 percent in favour of staying in the United Kingdom. But shortly before the referendum when opinion polls suggested a tight race, leaders of the main British political parties promised significantly greater powers for the Scottish government, although the details remain to be settled.
Despite the loss, some nationalists have indicated they may seek another referendum. Triggers could be a failure to grant Scotland the extra powers or a British vote to leave the European Union in a possible 2017 referendum. Setting out her goals as leader, Sturgeon steered clear of stoking referendum speculation. "I will always make the case for Scotland to be an independent country, but with the Westminster parties already backsliding on the delivery of new powers, my immediate job will be to hold them firmly to account," she said.