Nicola Sturgeon has said she was 'deceived, betrayed and lied to' by her estranged husband Peter Murrell, who pleaded guilty this week to embezzling more than £400,000 from the Scottish National Party.
The former first minister of Scotland made the comments at her first public appearances since Murrell's guilty plea, addressing audiences in Ireland and at the Hay festival in Wales. She said she was 'coming to terms with being married to someone she did not know at all' and acknowledged the public would have questions.
“Nicola Sturgeon says she was 'deceived and betrayed' by ex-husband Peter Murrell after he pleaded guilty to embezzling over £400,000 from the SNP. She regrets not removing him as chief executive and says she should not be held responsible for his wrongdoing.”
Sturgeon also expressed regret that she had not removed Murrell as SNP chief executive when she became leader. 'I didn't think it was fair that he should lose his job,' she told the BBC.
The embezzlement, which spanned several years, involved Murrell using party funds for personal expenses. The Sun newspaper reported that he used pilfered cash to buy his nephew a scooter for Christmas in 2013. Sturgeon herself posted a picture of the gift-wrapped present on social media, joking: 'Well wrapped Peter Murrell — our nephew will NEVER guess what it is.'
Sturgeon has stressed that she should not be held accountable for her husband's crimes. 'I should not be held responsible for the wrongdoing of men,' she told the Guardian. She noted that her picture had appeared on more front pages in Scotland than Murrell's this week, adding: 'I don't think that's right.'
The scandal has rocked Scottish politics, with Murrell having been a key figure in the SNP for decades. He has been remanded in custody after his guilty plea. Sturgeon, who led the SNP and served as first minister for eight years, has faced scrutiny over her knowledge of the embezzlement, though she has consistently denied any involvement.
At the Hay festival, Sturgeon acknowledged that the public might struggle to understand how she could be unaware of such large-scale fraud. 'I was deceived, misled and betrayed,' she said. 'I am coming to terms with being married to someone I did not know.'
Murrell's sentencing date has not yet been announced. The case continues to dominate headlines in Scotland, where the SNP is already grappling with falling poll ratings and internal divisions.
## What This Means For You
For Scottish voters, the scandal raises questions about governance and oversight within the SNP. The party, which for years dominated Scottish politics, now faces a crisis of trust. For UK taxpayers, the case highlights the need for robust financial controls in political parties, particularly those receiving public funds. The embezzlement also underscores the personal toll of political scandal, as Sturgeon navigates both the legal fallout and the public dissection of her marriage.