Scotland's Sturgeon quits to let new leader build case for independence

FILE PHOTO: First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon reacts as she answers questions on Scottish Government issues, during a news conference at St Andrews House, in Edinburgh, Britain February 6, 2023. Jane Barlow/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) -Nicola Sturgeon resigned as Scottish first minister on Wednesday, saying her dominance over her party and the country was no longer the asset it once was in the fight for an independent Scotland.

In power since 2014, she said she had become too divisive - and too tired - to reach across the political divide, and she wanted to step away from the "brutality" of modern politics to focus on "Nicola Sturgeon the person".