Nicola Sturgeon's resignation on Wednesday morning was a slightly puzzling political event – 'shocking', in the sense that it heralds the departure of a politician who has occupied the highest perch in Scottish politics for so long, but also not all that surprising, given both the First Minister's recent political travails and the fact she had started to openly discuss how long she'd be in the top job.

So what comes next? Who will succeed Sturgeon and how will her exit affect the cause of independence?

To run the rule over Sturgeon's record and the shape of the succession, we were delighted to welcome one of Scottish journalism's leading lights to this week's CapX Podcast.

Alex Massie is the Scotland Editor of The Spectator, a Times and Sunday Times columnist and, of course, has been a regular contributor to CapX down the years. He joined our editors John Ashmore and Alys Denby down the line from his home in Scotland to discuss the 'surface finery' of Sturgeon's politics, the SNP's dire domestic record and who the runners and riders are to success her as First Minister.

Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe.

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