SNP finances probe ‘unexpected and unwelcome’, says former first minister Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon has said the probe into the SNP’s finances which resulted in the arrest of her husband has been “unexpected and unwelcome”.

In April, Peter Murrell – the former party chief executive – was taken into custody and the home he shared with wife Sturgeon was searched in relation to the investigation.

He was later released without charge pending further investigation.

Writing in the Glasgow Times, the former first minister opined on her time in Government, as well as the transition to the backbenches at Holyrood.

She wrote: “Sometimes it feels that there is scarcely time to breathe, let alone think. And if that is true in normal times, it was even more so during the long, difficult months of Covid.

“To go from 16 years of that to being a backbencher – still an incredibly busy job but without the weight of government responsibility – was always going to be a difficult transition.

“And, of course, since I stepped down, there have been unexpected and unwelcome developments that I am not able to expand upon here, but which have made this period even more challenging.

“However, in spite of that, I am enjoying the new perspective and different focus that comes with no longer being first minister.”

Sturgeon went on to lay out her focus in her Glasgow Southside constituency, saying: “Throughout my time in government, I have always worked hard to do the best for my constituents.

“However, having even more time now to spend in the Southside is something I relish.

“There are many issues facing my constituents – for example, housing, the quality of the environment, transport links, access to health services – that I will raise and, where necessary, campaign on from the backbenches.

“I look forward to highlighting the many positive developments happening across the Southside, from the achievements of young people in our schools to new community and housing projects and the redevelopment of the iconic Citizens Theatre, to name just a few.

“Of course, my constituents, like people across the country, are affected by national trends and issues too.

“Top of that list right now is the cost of living crisis.”

Sturgeon said she is “proud” of the work her Government did to mitigate the cost of living crisis, “including the ongoing extension of free school meals”.