THE spectre of Margaret Thatcher haunted the SNP yesterday as they celebrated Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership in Parliament, writes Luke James. 

SNP MP Angus Robertson congratulated Ms Sturgeon at Scottish questions after it was announced she will become the party’s first woman leader — and therefore Scotland’s first female First Minister. 

“She’ll be outstanding in those roles,” he beamed. 

Tory Scotland minister David Mundell did his best to sour the moment by suggesting she was “emulating Margaret Thatcher in becoming the first female leader of her party.”

But Mr Robertson blasted the Tory’s only Scottish MP.

“There’s absolutely no comparison between Nicola Sturgeon and Margaret Thatcher,” he said. 

“Nicola Sturgeon will be leading the most popular political party in Scotland. Margaret Thatcher destroyed the Conservatives in Scotland. 

“And he’s the living proof of them having only one seat in Scotland.”

The Scottish Sun reacted by dubbing Ms Sturgeon the “iron-ic lady.”