Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced she will not seek re-election to the Scottish Parliament next year, bringing an end to her long political career. The ex-SNP leader told journalists in Edinburgh she felt a 'sense of relief' after making the decision, which she said had been on her mind for some time.
Ms Sturgeon, who has represented Glasgow Southside since 2007, said she was turning the page on her life and looking forward to a 'new chapter'. In a letter to local SNP members, she wrote that while the decision was 'far from easy', she felt it was the right time to embrace different opportunities.
The announcement comes amid ongoing police investigations into SNP finances. Ms Sturgeon was arrested in June 2023 in connection with Operation Branchform but released without charge. Her husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, has been charged with embezzlement of party funds. The couple announced their separation and planned divorce earlier this year.
Ms Sturgeon insisted she would remain committed to the SNP and the cause of Scottish independence. 'I may be leaving Parliament, but I will be by your side every step of the way as we complete our journey to independence,' she said. She is due to release a memoir this summer.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton criticised Ms Sturgeon's record, citing failures in education, the drugs death crisis, and the ferries scandal. 'By any objective analysis, her record as First Minister is one of failure,' she said.
