Nicola Sturgeon has said she fully understands why many people find it hard to believe she had no knowledge of alleged embezzlement within the Scottish National Party, given the close links to her domestic life. In an interview with the Guardian's Politics Weekly UK podcast, the former first minister insisted she was unaware of any wrongdoing.
Sturgeon stepped down as first minister in February 2023, weeks before police searched the Glasgow home she shared with her then husband, Peter Murrell, and the SNP's headquarters. Murrell, the party's former chief executive, was later charged in connection with alleged embezzlement and has not yet entered a plea. Sturgeon is no longer under investigation.
Reflecting on the period after her resignation, Sturgeon said she was more relaxed than she had been in years, which she argued would have been impossible if she had suspected any issues. 'If I was on the outside looking into the unfolding of events... I would struggle to believe that as well. But trust me, I had no idea,' she said.
Sturgeon also discussed the future of the UK, suggesting that the rise of the SNP, Plaid Cymru, and Reform UK could lead to a 'complete rewiring' of the union within 10 to 20 years. She predicted a confederation of the British Isles or an independent Scotland, with greater autonomy for Wales and a reunified Ireland.
On gender recognition, Sturgeon defended her bill simplifying the process, which was blocked by the UK government. She rejected the idea that supporting transgender rights conflicts with feminism, stating, 'I will never accept that that sits in conflict with also standing up for the rights of stigmatised minorities.'
