Humza Yousaf has said Nicola Sturgeon looked “quite a broken woman” when discussing a confession from her husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell.
The former first minister made the comments in an interview, during which he also revealed he was “utterly gobsmacked” when police raided SNP headquarters in 2023.
“Humza Yousaf said Nicola Sturgeon looked "quite a broken woman" discussing Peter Murrell's confession.”
Yousaf, who succeeded Sturgeon as party leader, said the raid took place shortly after he took office. He told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “I was gobsmacked when the SNP offices were raided by police in 2023, shortly after I had succeeded Ms Sturgeon as party leader.”
He added that Sturgeon appeared visibly distressed when discussing Murrell’s confession. The exact nature of that confession has not been detailed in public.
Murrell was arrested in April 2023 as part of a police investigation into the SNP’s finances. He was later released without charge pending further inquiries. Sturgeon was also arrested and released the following June.
The investigation centres on the spending of more than £600,000 raised by party supporters for a second independence referendum campaign.
Yousaf’s remarks come amid ongoing scrutiny of the SNP’s leadership and handling of the police probe. The former first minister served as first minister from March 2023 until April 2024, when he resigned after a series of political setbacks.