Thank you for following STV News' live coverage of Nicola Sturgeon's historic announcement today.

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Former first minister Alex Salmond told STV News that "independence has been taken into a cul de sac" during Sturgeon's tenure as FM.

He said: "I'm very surprised (that Sturgeon resigned). In fact I don’t know anybody who's not surprised. I mean, I dare say a lots of journalists will say, ‘Oh, yes, we knew it was coming’, but I don't think that's true. I think generally speaking, everybody is very surprised. 

"Independence has been taken into a cul de sac. There’s a barrier, a roadblock, and it'll be the job of everybody who supports independence, in particular, the new First Minister, to find a way through that roadblock or round it. That's the job of politics. 

"The key task for the next SNP leader and therefore First Minister, whoever it may be, is to find the... to rebuild a strategy towards independence, perhaps to reunify the national movement."

Nicola Sturgeon will leave office as the country's longest-serving and first female First Minister since the creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

STV News takes a look back at her political career, which will be remembered for the fight for Scottish independence and tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

STV Footage Sales has dug up archive video of STV News anchorman John MacKay interviewing Nicola Sturgeon during the first Scottish Parliament elections in 1999.

SNP MP Joanna Cherry has called for her party to appoint a “neutral” chief executive following news that Nicola Sturgeon’s husband intends to hold onto the post.

Peter Murrell married Ms Sturgeon in 2010 but has been chief executive of the SNP since 1999.

However, following the First Minister’s announcement that she is resigning from the top post and as leader of her party, a senior SNP MP has condemned his decision to stay in the role.

Joanna Cherry has said she cannot see “any circumstances” where Mr Murrell is able to continue as chief executive as she called for fresh takeover of the party’s management.

Nicola Sturgeon tweeted this afternoon: "To all the people of Scotland - whether you voted for me or not - please know that being your First Minister has been the privilege of my life.

"Nothing - absolutely nothing - I do in future will ever come close. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

What happened? The Scottish Government sent a note to journalists at 9.14am on Wednesday, announcing a press conference at 11am, with no reason given as to why it was being held.

Just before 10am, the BBC reported the First Minister planned to stand down, sending shockwaves through the UK’s political landscape.

Why is Sturgeon resigning? Sturgeon was keen to emphasise that the impact of recent pressures – namely reforms to gender recognition and the blocking of the UK Government; the handling of transgender prisoners; and a ruling by the UK Supreme Court that Holyrood could not hold a referendum on independence – had not impacted on her decision.

But the FM said she had been “wrestling” with the decision “for some weeks” and had reached the conclusion that it was not right for either her personally, or the country, to carry on in the job.

She pointed to her party’s special conference next month, where it will decide the next steps for its push towards independence.

The First Minister said she did not want to ask SNP members to opt for using the next UK election as a de facto referendum on independence, if she was not the leader who would fight that election.

Ms Sturgeon also pointed to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic as a key reason, saying “the weight of the responsibility was immense”, adding: “It’s only very recently, I think, that I’ve started to comprehend, let alone process, the physical and mental impact of it on me.”

What next for the country? In the immediate term, nothing will change. The First Minister will remain in office until the SNP selects a new leader.

After that decision is made, whomever is elected will be tasked with forming a government

Who is likely to take over? Bookmaker William Hill ranks Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson as first-placed in the race to succeed the First Minister.

Finance secretary Kate Forbes is another mentioned as a potential successor and is due back from maternity leave in the coming weeks.

Health secretary Humza Yousaf may also take a run at the leadership, having long been considered a possibility.

Deputy first minister John Swinney told STV News: "It wasn't expected although I have been discussing these questions with the First Minister for some time.

"And I think it's inevitable that you come to a moment where you decide that you've given as much of a contribution to a particular role as you can do, and that's particularly challenging for an individual who is the First Minister."

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross tells STV News: "It won't surprise anyone that on a personal level we never really got on particularly well and I'm not going to ignore that at a time when I think there have been issues that she could have and should have focused on as First Minister."

Residents in Sturgeon's Glasgow Southside constituency have had their say on the FM's announcement to resign.

STV News went to Govanhill on Wednesday and found people were shocked by her decision.

One woman said she hoped the First Minister “kicks her heels off and has a piña colada”.

Another said: “I’m shocked, utterly shocked – I could cry! Genuinely speechless for the first time in my life.

“I think she was a good First Minister, especially during the pandemic. She’s helped so many people around here, people say she’s neglected it but she hasn’t – she has regular surgeries here, and anybody who went – she helped.”

Others however, said it was “about time”.

“I should bloody well think so, at this point”, one man said.