Nicola Sturgeon has said she was “deceived, misled and betrayed” by her estranged husband Peter Murrell, after he admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the Scottish National Party.
The former first minister broke her silence in a public appearance in Ireland, describing the past week as “probably the worst week of my life”. She said she was “coming to terms with being married to someone I did not know at all”.
“Nicola Sturgeon says she was ‘deceived, misled and betrayed’ by her estranged husband Peter Murrell after he admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP. The former first minister spoke publicly for the first time since Murrell's guilty plea, describing it as the worst week of her life, while First Minister John Swinney rejected calls for a Holyrood inquiry.”
Murrell, the party’s former chief executive, pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP and has been remanded in custody. Sturgeon insisted she had no knowledge or suspicion of the items he bought with the stolen money.
The scandal has sent shockwaves through Scottish politics. Sturgeon, who led the SNP for nearly a decade and served as first minister from 2014 to 2023, said she understood people would have questions. “I was deceived, betrayed and lied to,” she told the audience in Ireland.
First Minister John Swinney has rejected calls for a Holyrood inquiry into the matter, arguing that the criminal justice system should take its course. The SNP is now facing intense scrutiny over its governance and financial controls.
Sturgeon’s appearance marked her first public comments since Murrell’s guilty plea. She described the situation as deeply personal and said she was still processing what had happened.
The embezzlement came to light after a long-running police investigation into SNP finances. Murrell’s guilty plea has raised questions about how the money was siphoned without detection.
Sturgeon, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing, said she was focusing on her family and her public duties. She reiterated that she had no part in or knowledge of Murrell’s actions.
The political fallout continues. Opposition parties have called for greater transparency, while Swinney has defended the decision not to hold a separate parliamentary inquiry.
In her remarks, Sturgeon expressed sorrow for the damage done to the party she once led. “I am deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused to the SNP and to Scotland,” she said.
Murrell remains in custody awaiting sentencing. The case has dominated headlines across the UK, with many questioning how such a significant sum could be embezzled over a prolonged period.
For now, Sturgeon’s account of betrayal and deception has added a deeply personal dimension to a crisis that threatens to reshape Scottish politics.