Nicola Sturgeon says SNP disaster past her ‘worst nightmares’

Nicola Sturgeon has admitted she couldn’t have imagined “in her worst nightmares” the controversy presently engulfing the SNP.

The former Scottish first minister refused to touch upon the £100,000 campervan faraway from outdoors her mother-in-law’s dwelling and denied the police investigation was the rationale behind her determination to step down.

Speaking to journalists at Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon mentioned: “I understand the view that some people might have, that I knew this was all about to unfold and that’s why I walked away.

“Nothing might be farther from the reality.

“I could not have anticipated in my worst nightmares what would have unfolded over the past few weeks.”

Peter Murrell, Ms Sturgeon’s husband and the SNP’s former chief government, was arrested and launched with out cost earlier this month as a part of an investigation into the funding and funds of the celebration.

MSP Colin Beattie, who stop as celebration treasurer final week, was additionally arrested and launched with out cost in reference to the probe.

The long-running inquiry is linked to the spending of round £600,000 raised by supporters to be earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning.

It is known there have been complaints the ringfenced money has been used improperly by being spent elsewhere.

Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon’s Glasgow dwelling has been searched as a part of the investigation. Officers have been additionally seen eradicating packing containers from SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.

The celebration mentioned it has been “cooperating fully” with the investigation and would “continue to do so”.

Read extra:
Ex-SNP treasurer ‘unaware’ celebration had purchased £100,000 motorhome
SNP has ‘nothing to cover’, says deputy chief

In her first look on the Scottish Parliament since her husband’s arrest, Ms Sturgeon mentioned she has not been questioned by police in relation to the inquiry and refused to touch upon the campervan seized from outdoors her mother-in-law’s Dunfermline dwelling.

She added: “What I will say up front is that I’m not going to go into any detail that impinges on a live police investigation.

“There are many questions that I might need to have the ability to reply, and within the fullness of time I hope I’ll reply, however it will be flawed and inappropriate for me to enter any element of what the police are presently investigating.”

She added: “Clearly the occasions of the previous couple of weeks have been troublesome – and I exploit this phrase advisedly and intentionally – in some respects very traumatic.

“But I accept that is the nature of the process that is under way right now.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Beattie mentioned he had no information of the celebration’s buy of the posh motorhome.

He mentioned: “No, I didn’t know about it.”

First minister Humza Yousaf instructed Sky News the state-of-the-art automobile was an SNP asset and was a part of the warrant record of things seized by police.

The celebration’s auditors stop final 12 months and have but to get replaced, with the SNP Westminster group susceptible to lacking out on £1.2m from Westminster authorities, generally known as brief cash, if it fails to submit audited accounts by 31 May.

Ms Sturgeon, who had been working from dwelling since her husband’s arrest, mentioned “now is not the easiest time”.

However, she added: “I believe the SNP, notwithstanding the real difficulties that surrounds the party just now, is in good shape and I think Humza [Yousaf] will take it to an even better place.”