Presiding Officer, I thank you very much indeed for your kind words earlier. I thank the party leaders for their kind words too—long may they continue. Last, but most important, I thank my fellow members of Parliament for giving me the honour and privilege of being their nominee as the next First Minister of Scotland.
My pledge today to every citizen of our country is simple but heartfelt. I will be First Minister for all of Scotland: regardless of your politics or your point of view, my job is to serve you and I promise that I will do so to the very best of my ability.
This is a special and very proud moment for me, a working-class girl from Ayrshire given the job of heading up the Government of Scotland. It is also a big moment for my family, and I am delighted that they have joined me here today. I am particularly delighted—relieved, even—to note that, so far at any rate, my niece and nephews appear to be on their best behaviour.
I am so grateful to all my family here today, and in particular to my mum, my dad, my sister and my husband for the unwavering support that they have always given me in everything that I have chosen to do. Now that I am First Minister, I suspect that I will need that support more than ever, and I am very lucky in knowing that it will always be there.
I also thank my constituency office staff for the invaluable work that they do each and every day for me and for my constituents in Glasgow Southside.
Like you, Presiding Officer, I have been a member of this Parliament since its re-establishment in 1999. That means that I have had the opportunity at close quarters to watch and learn from all my predecessors as First Minister. Each of them, in their own unique ways, has been a passionate and diligent advocate for Scotland. I have the greatest respect for all of them—for the late Donald Dewar and for Henry McLeish, Jack McConnell and Alex Salmond—and I am genuinely humbled that my name will now be added to that distinguished list.
That our Parliament and Government have, in just 15 short years, come to be so firmly established and—dare I say it?—respected in our national life is testament to the quality of their stewardship and their leadership.
However, I am sure that members will understand why I want to pay particular tribute to Alex Salmond today. Without the guidance and support that Alex has given me over more than 20 years, it is unlikely that I would be standing here. I owe him a personal debt of gratitude, and it is important to me to put my thanks to him on the public record today.
Alex Salmond’s place in history as one of Scotland’s greatest leaders is secure, and rightly so. However, I have no doubt that he has a big contribution yet to make to politics in Scotland. I know that I will continue to seek his wise counsel, and—who knows?—from time to time he might seek mine too.
To become First Minister is special, and it is a big responsibility. To make history as the first woman First Minister is even more so. I am reminded of a quote that I once read from Florence Horsbrugh, who—as Ruth Davidson will know—was a Conservative member of Parliament for Dundee. In 1936, she became the first woman to reply to what was then the King’s speech in the House of Commons. She said:
“If in these new and novel surroundings I acquit myself but poorly, when I sit down I shall at least have two thoughts for my consolation—it has never been done better by a woman before, and, whatever else may be said about me, in the future from henceforward I am historic.”
I can sympathise with the sentiment, though I hope not to need any such consolation.
Indeed, I much prefer this quote from the same speech:
“I ... think of this occasion as the opening of a gate into a new field of opportunity”.—[Official Report, House of Commons, 3 November 1936; Vol 317, c 14.]
I hope that my election as First Minister does indeed help to open the gate to greater opportunity for all women. I hope that it sends a strong, positive message to girls and young women—indeed, to all women across our land. There should be no limit to your ambition or what you can achieve. If you are good enough and you work hard enough, the sky is the limit and no glass ceiling should ever stop you from achieving your dreams.
Presiding Officer, I hope that that is the message of my election, as indeed it was of yours, but it is what I do as First Minister that will matter more—much more—than the example that I have set simply by holding the office. Leading by example on equal representation and encouraging others to follow, addressing low pay and improving childcare—those are the obligations that I now carry and I am determined to discharge them on behalf of women across our country.
My niece, who is in the public gallery today with her brother and cousins, is eight years old. She does not yet know about the gender pay gap, underrepresentation or the barriers such as high childcare costs that make it so hard for so many women to work and pursue careers. My fervent hope is that she never will and that, by the time she is a young a woman, she will have no need to know about any of those issues, because they will have been consigned to history. If, during my tenure as First Minister, I can play a part in making that so for my niece and for every other little girl in this country, I will be very happy indeed.
I am taking on the responsibilities of First Minister at an exciting time in our nation’s history. All of us, regardless of party, have been inspired and challenged by the flourishing of democracy that we have witnessed during and since the referendum. Democratic politics in Scotland has never been more alive and the expectations that people have of their politicians and their Parliament have never been higher. There is a burning desire across our country to build a more prosperous, fairer and better Scotland.
People did not just vote yes for a better country. I know that those who voted no want a better country, too. I intend to lead a Government that delivers on those aspirations. My role as First Minister will be to help build a Scotland that all those who live and work here can be proud of—a nation both socially democratic and socially just; a Scotland confident in itself, proud of its successes and honest about its weaknesses; a Scotland of good government and civic empowerment; a Scotland vigorous and determined in its resolution to address poverty, support business, promote growth and tackle inequality. Those are the points against which my Government will set its compass. I earnestly believe that, in doing so, we will reflect the wishes, hopes and desires—the dreams, even—of the Scottish people.
Of course we will have our differences across parties in the chamber as to the best way forward. We must never shy away from robust debate, but we should strive always to be constructive and respectful. I want all members to know that where we are on common ground—and I want to find as much of that as I can—they will find in me a willing and listening ally.
It will surprise nobody to hear that I will always argue the case for more powers—indeed, for the full powers of independence for this Parliament. I believe that the more we are able to do as a Parliament, the better we can serve the people who elect us. However, I will also—and always—do my utmost to govern well with the powers that we have now. My daily tasks will be to protect and improve our NHS, support our businesses at home and abroad, ensure that all children get the chance to fulfil their potential, and keep our communities safe from crime.
I intend to lead a Government with purpose, a Government that is bold, imaginative and adventurous. I know that there will be tough decisions to be made and I might not always get them right. It is not the case that all manner of things shall be well. I will face challenges, but I will strive to meet them positively and with fortitude. I know that I will be inspired and sustained each and every day by the potential of this country and of the people who live here.
I end with another quote, this time from the Earl of Seafield, the chancellor of Scotland who signed away Scotland’s sovereign independence in 1707. As he did so, he lamented:
“there’s ane end of ane auld sang”.
The song lay lost for 292 years until we reconvened the Parliament in 1999. This First Minister intends to make sure that we adorn that old song with new verses that tell of a modern and confident Scotland that is fit for purpose and fit for all of her people. Together, let us now get on with writing that story. [Applause.]