Nicola Sturgeon refuses to say if her husband is innocent
The former First Minister spoke to journalists after returning to Holyrood for the first time since her arrest earlier this month.
While she said she was “absolutely certain I haven’t done anything wrong,” she declined to answer when asked if the same applied to her husband or anyone else in the party.
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Earlier this month, investigators questioned the former SNP chief for seven hours before releasing her without charge pending further investigation.
She was the third person to be arrested in connection with Operation Branchform, the Scottish Police’s investigation into the party’s funding and finances.
Mr Murrell, former SNP chief executive officer, and Colin Beattie, then treasurer, were arrested earlier this year and released without charge.
Police raided both the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh and the Glasgow home that Ms Sturgeon shares with Mr Murrell as part of the investigation.
A luxury camper van was confiscated outside the home of Mr Murrell’s 92-year-old mother.
Police are investigating whether the £600,000 raised to fight an independence referendum has been spent on other causes.
CONTINUE READING: Nicola Sturgeon refuses to ‘compromise’ her denials by quitting the SNP.
Ms Sturgeon said she called Tuesday’s press conference in the Scottish Parliament because she wanted to get on with her work.
She said: “I respect and fully understand the ongoing process. I am absolutely sure that I did nothing wrong.”
“It wasn’t the best time of my life. It’s not an easy time. I’m not saying this out of compassion,” she added. “What carries me at the moment is the certainty that I haven’t done anything wrong.
When asked if Peter Murrell is also innocent, Nicola Sturgeon says she can only speak for herself. pic.twitter.com/MkpGA1kE7N
— Andrew Learmonth (@andrewlearmonth) June 20, 2023
When asked if Mr. Murrell was also innocent, she replied, “Before I say what I’m going to say, I’m saying it as a statement of fact, not as an overloaded statement that one should interpret anything one way or the other.”
“But in a situation like this, I can only speak for myself and I speak for myself.
“There is also a difference between me and my husband. “I’m an elected politician, I’m a civil servant and therefore there is an expectation on your part, I think a reasonable expectation, that I can make statements and answer questions to the best of my ability. Obviously Peter doesn’t belong in that position.”
When asked if she was sure no one else at the SNP had done anything wrong, she replied: “That is a factual statement so don’t take that one way or the other, I can only speak for myself on these matters.” speak.” I speak for myself here and, as before, express my certainty that I have done nothing.”
First Minister Humza Yousaf has so far refused to suspend Ms Sturgeon from the party, saying he believes in “natural justice”.
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Scottish Conservative leader Craig Hoy responded to Ms Sturgeon’s comments: “Last week Nicola Sturgeon went into hiding and now she has come out fighting. But her recent “I did nothing wrong” press conference may not have pleased her husband or Michelle Thomson.
“While the former First Secretary was adamant that she had committed no wrongdoing in the SNP financial scandal, she specifically refused to make any such assurances on behalf of Peter Murrell.
“Michelle Thomson is rightly upset that she was forced by her then-chairman Nicola Sturgeon to ditch SNP leadership, which now refuses to follow its own precedent.
“But instead of apologizing to her colleague, Nicola Sturgeon would just say that she understands her anger, which will be cold comfort to those suspended under her leadership.”
