How strong are family ties? Nicola Sturgeon’s family hail from Sunderland
Nicola Sturgeon’s family has its roots in the North East of England. With this in mind can the region benefit from the SNP and her rise or will it be overtaken by a fresh thrust for independence?
Arthur Street, Ryhope, Sunderland, was home to Sturgeon’s great-grandfather, Englishman and shipwright Joseph Mill.
His daughter, Sturgeon’s Grandmother, Margaret Mill, was born in Sunderland in 1920.
Sturgeon’s Grandfather, Robert Sturgeon, a gardener, was born in Ayrshire in 1920 and relocated to the North of England where he married Sunderland born Margaret Mill in 1943.
Their son Robert Sturgeon, Nicola Sturgeon’s father, was born in Ayrshire in 1948. He married Joan Ferguson b 1952 in Ayrshire on 29 December 1969. Their daughter Nicola was born in Ayrshire on 19 July 1970.
The rise of the SNP left many in the North East and Cumbria questioning the region’s future relationship with Scotland.
“The North East shares a lot in common with Scotland and there’s a common cause to be made with our neighbours,” says Jonathan Blackie, a visiting professor at Northumberland University. “But given the current political situation, it’s difficult to see how we can thrive by working together when there are so many things pulling us apart.” The new political situation that he refers to is the SNP now has 56 MPs at Westminster.
David Cameron has also said he will devolve more powers to the Scottish Parliament as recommended by the Smith Commission, which makes those living on the border nervous.
“Nicola Sturgeon has played a blinder, she’s put Scotland in a position where it can’t get loose,” says Rob Johnston, the chief executive of the Cumbria Chamber of Commerce. “It’s not the number of SNP MPs, it’s the fact that Scotland is now speaking with one voice. “They can attract money and investment north of the border and that presents a real challenge for Cumbria.”
In the Scottish Independence referendum, 67% of people in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk voted to maintain the Union, making it an area that many thought the SNP would find hard to breakthrough in the general election. But it did!!! reflecting yet another English political betrayal.
Calum Kerr, SNP, the constituency MSP said: “I actually think there are many parallels between what I want for the South of Scotland to what people in the North of England want. They want their voices to be heard and they want powers to make a difference to their region. If I can build a distinctive voice for the South of Scotland, people in the North of England should support that, and in fact, work with me because they will also feel the benefits.”
To the south of Calum Kerr’s constituency sits Northumberland, the English county with the highest number of castles, a lasting testament to the fractious historical relationship that the north of England has had with its Scottish neighbours. The differences on the border are no longer territorial, but the rise of the SNP is certainly creating new political and economic tensions. (BBC 2015)
Comment: An article chock full of innocuous innuendo with the implication of its underlying intent only slightly disguised. Will she pursue independence or will her family ties with England dictate her actions?
caltonjock 
Personal ambition I suspect made it an easy choice to sell us out. Looking back to the beginning of the FMs tenure the processes were being put in place then for the subvertion of the SNP and the wider movement for Independence. it might be easier and more lucrative to side with established power than oppose it. Especially if you are of a type that doesn’t really believe in much bar getting on and are willing to be absolutely ruthless about it.
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The She maybe the FM and the leader of the SNP, but she isn’t the only person in the SNP who’s selling Scotland down the river for Pension and salary. The complete lot of them (MP MSP Councillors) have done nothing for Scotland for the last 8yrs, in fact you had Ian Blackford on TV today saying our citizens across the UK are all suffering because of the energy crisis, when was Blackford elected to represent anyone in England, he was saying the UKG should come back to Westminster I would have thought it was more prudent for him to be calling for SNP MSP to come back to Holyrood to deal with the crisis in Scotland.
What we have and its deliberately is the SNP Leader and her followers now calling themselves British on the hope that the rest of us will give up on the idea of being Scottish, over my dead body.
I love your post caltonjock.
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If it wisnae her family ties (and by the way she gies me nae reason tae believe itherwise) she would always find excuse that declared allegiance tae Auld Betty and the English establishment ahead o’ oor countries future as an Independent Nation.
This hellish state o’ affairs will continue until Scots wake up and start seeing for themselves how shallow a figure she is, one who is totally absorbed in her own press and protected from exposure by the weasel like Clegg, Smith and Wark to name but three.
Just a wee bit aff topic, if I might be so bold. Ah wunner whit her auld English granny wid hae thocht aboot her gie’n men wi’ lipstick, skirts an’ frocks on free reign tae go intae the wummin’s lavvies ony time they felt like it?
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