Nicola Sturgeon set to be named First Minister

Nicola Sturgeon is to be re-elected First Minister today as the Scottish Parliament formally votes on the position.

Sturgeon’s SNP won 63 seats in this month’s Scottish Parliament election, falling just two seats short of a second successive majority.

This means when MSPs vote from 2pm this afternoon, the SNP leader will require the backing of some members of other parties.

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Sturgeon has urged all five parties to support her nomination.

However, it is expected that Willie Rennie, whose Scottish Liberal Democrat party is now the fifth largest party at Holyrood, will also put himself forward.

Sturgeon, who overcame a similar bid by Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson when first appointed in November 2014, said: “I am absolutely clear that the SNP has an overwhelming mandate to continue to govern and I have a mandate to continue as First Minister. I am therefore calling on Parliament to recognise that mandate today.

“And if re-elected by Parliament I will lead a government that seeks to win votes, not simply by the force of our numbers, but by the strength of our arguments - and by the support we are able to build for our policies in the country as a whole.

“And we will not assume a monopoly of wisdom. Good ideas exist across the parliamentary chamber and I promise that we will always seek to judge them on merit, rather than on their party of origin.

“That is the open, inclusive and outward looking approach to government that I will endeavour to take. If it is matched by opposition parties determined to be robust, but also constructive, in how they discharge their duties, then I believe it can make a real difference to how we do business and, ultimately, to how well we serve the people of Scotland.”

Sturgeon has ruled out a coalition and confirmed she will lead a minority government as was the case between 2007 and 2011.