Scotland's former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has defiantly rejected any blame for her estranged husband's embezzlement of Scottish National Party (SNP) funds, stating that she will not apologize for crimes committed by another person.
In an interview with the BBC, Sturgeon expressed feelings of betrayal over the actions of her husband, Peter Murrell, who last week pleaded guilty to stealing more than £400,000 ($540,000) from the SNP. Murrell used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle while serving as the party's chief executive. Sturgeon has consistently denied any knowledge of his criminal activities.
"I am not responsible for the crimes that my former husband committed," she told the BBC. "I'm not going to apologize for somebody else's crimes."
Sturgeon's remarks come amid widespread skepticism regarding her previous assertions that she was unaware of Murrell's offenses. The case has intensified concerns about accountability among UK politicians, following a series of scandals that have eroded public trust in government at all levels.
Critics have also questioned why Murrell was allowed to remain as SNP chief executive after Sturgeon became party leader in 2014. Sturgeon acknowledged that this decision was a mistake. "Of course, with hindsight, I wish that I could go back and take a different decision," she said.
Murrell's guilty plea concludes a five-year police investigation into the SNP, which has led Scotland's semi-autonomous government for nearly two decades while advocating for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom.
Turmoil within the SNP erupted in 2023 as questions arose over the party's finances and declining membership numbers. Sturgeon, who led the Scottish government for almost a decade, abruptly resigned as first minister in February 2023, citing that she knew in her "head and in my heart" it was the right time to step down. The following month, Murrell resigned as SNP chief executive after two decades in the role and took responsibility for misleading the media about the drop in party membership. In April, police arrested him at the couple's home in Glasgow.
Sturgeon was arrested in June 2023 but was later cleared by police.
