“I was afraid that if I had children, I wouldn’t be taken as seriously as a politician,” says Nicola Sturgeon

NICOLA Sturgeon feared she “wouldn’t have been taken so seriously” as a politician if she’d had children.

The former First Minister, 52, admitted there was “probably an element” of concern about how motherhood would affect her career.

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And she shared how she decided to disclose her miscarriage in 2011 to end “awkward” questions about her family life.

The ex-Top-Nat told a BBC Scotland podcast: “There has been a lot of speculation over the years as to why I don’t have children now.

“But looking back on my younger days, there was probably an element of, ‘If I had a kid while pursuing a political career, maybe I wouldn’t be taken so seriously.’

“Well, yes, it comes at a price.”

On her heartbreaking miscarriage, Ms Sturgeon added: “It took me a couple of years to speak out publicly about it because I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

“And then realizing that you have a platform — particularly around stigmatized issues — to help change the watch face.

“And partly because I was like, ‘I can’t sit in interviews anymore and be asked why I don’t have kids.’

“It gets to the point where it gets awkward.”

It comes as Ms Sturgeon could be orchestrating another skate escape – after being tipped off to take part in the next series of Dancing on Ice.

Her love of the rink has led to bookmakers putting her 2/1 to sign up for the ITV smash.

And she might be encouraged to take part after watching former pariah Health Secretary Matt Hancock do the final three in the final series of I’m A Celebrity. . . Get me out of here.

Ms Sturgeon has told how she grew up at the Frosties Ice Disco at Magnum Leisure Center in Irvine, Ayrshire, close to where she grew up.

She also showed her skills when she visited an ice rink at a Christmas market in Aberdeen and later tweeted: “Actually, until today I had forgotten how much I love ice skating.”

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