Nicola Sturgeon, the former First Minister of Scotland, has broken her silence after being officially cleared of any involvement in the fraud investigation that has rocked the Scottish National Party. Speaking candidly, she admitted she can understand public scepticism but maintains her complete innocence.
'Trust Me, I Had No Idea'
In an exclusive interview on the Guardian's Politics Weekly UK podcast, Sturgeon was asked if she understood why many people, including SNP supporters, find it hard to believe she was oblivious to the alleged financial wrongdoing within her own party. "I can, absolutely," was her immediate response.
She elaborated, stating that if she were an outsider observing the events that unfolded after her resignation, she would also struggle to believe it. "But trust me, I had no idea," she insisted. Sturgeon pointed to her relaxed public demeanour in the weeks following her departure from office as proof of her ignorance. She argued that it would have been "impossible" for her to appear so composed if she had known about the impending police investigation.
The Timeline of Events
The political scandal erupted shortly after Sturgeon's surprising resignation announcement in February 2023. By April of the same year, the situation escalated dramatically.
- Peter Murrell, Sturgeon's then-husband and the SNP's longstanding chief executive, was arrested.
- Police conducted thorough searches of the Glasgow home the couple shared and the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh.
- Officers also seized a luxury motorhome parked outside the home of Murrell's mother in Fife.
Murrell was subsequently charged in connection with the alleged embezzlement of funds and has not yet entered a plea. However, in a significant development for the former First Minister, police confirmed earlier this year that Sturgeon herself is no longer under investigation.
Reflecting on the period leading up to the raids, Sturgeon revealed that her primary feeling about the ongoing investigation was one of "frustration about why it was going on for so long," rather than any personal concern about its outcome.
A Vision for the Future of the Union
Beyond addressing the scandal, Sturgeon also shared her broader political predictions. She suggested that the growing influence of parties like the SNP, Plaid Cymru, and Reform UK signals a gradual collapse of the current UK union.
She argued that the dynamics exposed by Brexit, where England's political choices often dominate the other UK nations, are unsustainable. "In the next 10, 20 years, I think we will see a complete rewiring of the UK nations," Sturgeon stated. She envisions a future that could include an independent Scotland, a more autonomous Wales, a reunified Ireland, or a confederation of the British Isles.
Sturgeon also stood by her controversial legacy on gender recognition reforms, which were blocked by Westminster. She firmly stated she would not recant her position, emphasising her lifelong commitment to feminism and the rights of stigmatised minorities, including trans people.
