Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP Gavin Newlands has hailed Nicola Sturgeon as "the greatest political leader in these isles" after the First Minister announced she is standing down.

Mr Newlands also praised Ms Sturgeon's resignation speech, in which she acknowledged the "physical and mental impact" of being First Minister.

"An inspirational leader to the end," he tweeted. "Nicola is, by some distance, the greatest political leader in these isles.

"Scotland, and the independence movement, will be all the poorer without her leadership.

"I sincerely hope this isn’t the last we see of her in frontline party politics."

Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP Mhairi Black also took to Twitter to praise Ms Sturgeon.

She wrote: "How gutted I and others feel serves only as a testament to the success of Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership."

Ms Sturgeon said she believes it is now time to stand aside but denied she is reacting to "short-term pressures" after a series of political setbacks.

The longest serving – and first female – First Minister added that she will remain in office while the SNP select her successor.

"Since my very first moments in the job I have believed a part of serving well would be to know almost instinctively when the time is right to make way for someone else," she said.

"In my head and in my heart I know that time is now – that it's right for me, for my party and my country."

Ms Sturgeon, 52, added: "If the question is 'can I battle on for another few months,' then the answer is 'yes, of course I can.'

"But if the question is 'can I give this job everything it demands and deserves for another year, let alone for the remainder of this parliamentary term, give it every ounce of energy that it needs in the way that I have strived to do every day for the last eight years,' the answer honestly is different."

The First Minister has suffered a series of political setbacks in recent months as her Government sought to push through gender reforms, only for them to be blocked by Westminster.

She has also struggled to deal with the housing of transgender prisoners in women's facilities after a double rapist was sent to a female jail.

Ms Sturgeon acknowledged the "choppy waters" but insisted her resignation was not in response to the "latest period of pressure."

"This decision comes from a deeper and longer term assessment," she said.