Nicola Sturgeon is stepping down as a Member of the Scottish Parliament after 27 years in elected politics. The former First Minister told The Guardian's Politics Weekly UK podcast her political appetite has been "reawakened" since publishing her memoir in August, but categorically ruled out a return. "I'm definitely not coming back. I think I should say that categorically," she said.
Sturgeon addressed lingering public skepticism about whether her February 2023 resignation linked to the police investigation into SNP finances. "If I was on the outside looking in to the unfolding of events in the days […] after I stood down, I would struggle to believe that as well. But trust me, I had no idea," she told the podcast.
Police arrested her ex-husband Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, in April 2023 and charged him with alleged embezzlement. Police also arrested Sturgeon but cleared her in early 2024.
The former First Minister pointed to her demeanour after announcing her resignation as proof of her ignorance. "I was more relaxed than I'd been in years, because I knew I was making the right decision, I was looking forward to the future," she said. She added: "The idea that if I had known what was about to unfold, that I would have been able to function at all, let alone appear relaxed, is just, you know, nonsensical."
Potential SNP-Labour cooperation
With six months until the next Scottish election, Sturgeon suggested cross-party cooperation could be considered to prevent Reform UK gaining influence. "If […] after the Holyrood elections the only way to govern in a way that keeps Reform at bay and out of having any influence is for the SNP and Labour to work together, I certainly don't think that's something that should be completely unthinkable […]," she said. But she emphasized she would prefer to see the SNP emerge with a majority.
Sturgeon criticized UK Labour leaders for failing to communicate clearly, saying of Prime Minister Keir Starmer: "It was impossible for anybody to answer the question: what does he stand for?" She made similar comments about Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar: "I've known Anas for a long, long time, but again, I don't know what he stands for."
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
