“Scotland is not a region of the U.K.; Scotland is a nation, and if we cannot protect our interests within a U.K. that is going to be changing fundamentally, then that right of Scotland to consider the options of independence has to be there.”

“I drove my mum and dad mad.”

“My political awakening, if I can be as grand as to call it that, was all about what was happening around me. It wasn't some romantic, patriotic vision of Scotland going back to what it had been 300 years previously.”

“The importance of education is ingrained in Scottish history.”

“I worry about the direction of the U.K. and U.K. politics and governance in the event of a Brexit.”

“I am the granddaughter of an English woman. I love England and her people and, regardless of politics, consider you to be family... and always will.”

“Let us put the normal divisions of politics aside. Let us come together as one country let us seize this historic moment to shift the balance of power from the corridors of Westminster to the streets and communities of Scotland.”

“Social media is natural to me, and it's a very immediate way of saying something. It's the way politics are done these days. In modern politics, you can't ignore that even if you wanted to. I can't imagine doing politics without it.”

“I know you've got to earn people's trust, and you've got to earn it day after day after day.”

“I feel comfortable in a position of leadership, but that's not to say I feel complacent about it. I take it incredibly seriously.”

“I stand here today as the first woman first minister of our country. Every day I hold this office, I will work to ensure that every woman, every wee girl across this country, gets a chance to do what I've done and follow their dream.”