Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales, recently commented on the UK Government’s interactions with Nicola Sturgeon, the former First Minister of Scotland, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drakeford described Sturgeon as a “formidable politician” and stated that the UK Government was “always anxious” about meeting her due to her “ambition for the future of Scotland.”
Nicola Sturgeon (Credits: The Guardian)
Drakeford praised Sturgeon, along with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, for their collegiality and willingness to engage in discussions.
However, he noted that the UK Government was wary of Sturgeon’s ambitions for Scotland, which colored their interactions with her.
He also mentioned that many UK ministers were afraid of Sturgeon and avoided confrontational dialogues with her. However, Drakeford clarified that this attitude was not shared by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who did not want to appear as equal to other first ministers.
Nicola Sturgeon (Credits: The Independent)
Sturgeon, who served as Scotland’s First Minister from 2014 until her resignation in February last year, was known for her daily press briefings on the virus during the pandemic.
Throughout her tenure, she clashed with UK leaders, including Johnson. A previous revelation from the UK Covid Inquiry indicated that Sturgeon had referred to Johnson as a “a f****** clown” during the pandemic.
