Nicola Sturgeon has made her final speech in the Scottish Parliament as First Minister.

The Glasgow Southside MSP said nothing else she does in her life will come close to serving as First Minister.

After a heated final First Minister’s questions in which Douglas Ross and Anas Sarwar both attacked her government’s record and legacy, Sturgeon made her farewell speech.

She said the job was at times “Challenging, exhilarating and exhausting”.

After holding the office since 2014, becoming the longest serving First Minister, Sturgeon said: “I know in my heart this is the right time.”

She said she would continue to be an advocate for issues close to her heart including, she added “care experienced young people, climate justice and always until the job is done, winning Scottish independence.”

As the SNP prepares for either Kate Forbes, Ash Regan or Humza Yousaf to take over, she added: “It is time for Nicola Sturgeon the politician to make space for Nicola Sturgeon the person.”

She thanked the many members of her team and in a clearly emotional speech she said it was time to “make way for a new generation”.

Reflecting on eight years in the office she said: “I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, here are things I wish I’d done differently.”

Sturgeon said being the “first woman to hold this office and advancing gender equality has been close to my heart”.

Adding “no girl has any doubt that a woman can hold the highest office. When women lift, girls rise.”

She ended her speech by stating “It really has been the privilege of my lifetime. With these words, I draw it to a close.”

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Her opponents then responded and recognised the length of service and dedication.

Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader, paid tribute and said Nicola Sturgeon has been an “able and formidable politician who has stood at the forefront of Scottish politics for more than 15 years”.

Sarwar said for all he disagreed politically with Nicola Sturgeon he added: “I’ve never doubted her love for Scotland”.

The Glasgow MSP paid tribute to her record on equalities and said her time as leader was a “sign to women and girls there should be no limit to their ambition. Nothing they should not be able to achieve”.

Earlier Douglas Ross said she was a role model for women and girls.

He said: “She wanted to help every woman and girl to fulfill their potential and I think that as the first woman holder of her office, she has been a role model that women and girls can aspire to in Scotland today.”

But while others focussed on the positive, and used their speaking time to recognise what they considered Sturgeon’s qualities and achievements, Ross continued to highlight his disagreements.

He added: “But her talents have not always been used to the best of her ability in government."

He said: “On her first day in office Nicola Sturgeon promised to be the first minister for all of Scotland regardless of your politics or point of view.

“But for some too often she used her position to further her party’s political objectives rather than bring the country together and govern in all of Scotland’s interest."

In responding to the comments from MSPs, Sturgeon said finally: “Thank you  from the bottom of my heart for the privilege of being your First Minister