This is The Guardian.

Hello.

We've got a bonus episode for Politics Weekly UK listeners this week.

We've just recorded an interview, Kieran, with Nicholas Sturgeon.

And it was absolutely fascinating.

I've never heard her speak so frankly about all sorts of things.

Yeah, that's right. From a council flat in a former mining village in Ayrshire, she became the first woman to lead both the SMP and Scotland in 2014.

And I, as a new First Minister, I'm determined that we make it.

Until her resignation in March 23. I am announcing my intention to step down as First Minister and leader of my party.

She oversaw sustained electoral success throughout her almost nine years in office

and was praised for her leadership of the Scottish Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But her last few years in office were

marked by scandal and struggle, which we get into in our conversation. Her answers on what she

knew about alleged fraud at her party and also on any mistakes she may have made on the trans debate

in Scotland. But I think there were some of the most full and interesting answers I've ever heard

her give on those very sensitive issues. So I think there's some really interesting new stuff in there.

Nicholas Sturgeon, you may not remember this, but you were actually the first political

interview I ever did. I was training to become a journalist and as part of my course I had

to interview an interesting

local figure and I at the time lived with my parents in Glasgow Southside and you had stood

in the 1997 election against Mohammed Sawa, Glasgow Govan and you'd been around on the door

several times and knocked and chatted to the whole family and so so when I was asked to find someone local and interesting, I thought, oh, she was pretty impressive coming to the doorstep and she had, you know, lots of answers to lots of difficult questions and let's see how she gets on. So I called up your office and you gave me five minutes of your time. And I submitted my application and got a place on the course I wanted. He goes, it's all my fault basically. It's all your fault. I wouldn't have remembered it until you told me the story but now that you do, I do remember it because I actually remember your mum from talking to her on your doorstep back there. She's still a constituent. She is indeed, yes. Anyway, thank you for coming to speak to us on Politics Weekly UK. And this is such an interesting time for nationalist parties. Is it possible that after the next general election, Scotland and Wales could see pro-independence parties in government in Edinburgh and Cardiff, Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland,

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