Stress our mother and father suffered throughout police probe was horrendous, says Sturgeon’s sister
Nicola Sturgeon’s parents suffered ‘horrendous’ stress while the former First Minister was being investigated over the SNP’s finances, the family has revealed.
Ms Sturgeon’s sister Gillian said Robin and Joan Sturgeon ‘shouldn’t have had to watch their daughter go through that’.
Writing on social media, she said ‘the hate and torture’ thrown at the family had ‘taken its toll’ but said there was relief after the former First Minister was told she would not be charged in the Operation Branchform fraud probe.
It was launched to look into how more than £600,000 of crowdfunding was used by the party – and became one of the longest-running fraud investigations in Police Scotland’s history.
In a Facebook post, Gillian Sturgeon said she spoke to her sister after she was cleared and thanked all those who ‘stood by my family the past two years’.
She wrote: ‘To say the last two years have been stressful is an understatement, but for my mum and dad – horrendous.
Nicola Sturgeon was told she would not be charged in the Operation Branchform fraud probe
Gillian Sturgeon said the police investigation into her sister placed huge strain on her family
‘They shouldn’t have had to watch their daughter go through that,
‘We always knew Nicola was innocent but the hate & torture thrown our way has taken its toll. Spoke to sis earlier and after a cry, i could hear the relief in her voice.
‘I know my mum, dad, sis n myself will all sleep well tonight.’
It is understood Gillian Sturgeon was the tearful sister.
It came as John Swinney yesterday said he wanted Ms Sturgeon to be part of the SNP’s campaign effort for next year’s Holyrood election after the development.
The SNP leader said he would be ‘absolutely delighted’ if she kept working for the party.
After speaking to the media about feeling ‘vindicated’, Ms Sturgeon campaigned in a Glasgow City Council by-election on Thursday evening.
Asked if he would like to see Ms Sturgeon campaigning at the Holyrood elections as well, Mr Swinney said: ‘I very much welcome Nicola’s participation in the work of the party and the campaigning effort.
‘I was delighted – and she would be particularly delighted – at the Southside Central seat that Mhairi Hunter was elected [in], and I look forward to that contribution to our campaign.
‘I’d be absolutely delighted with that yes.’
The Scottish Conservatives said it would be ‘great’ to see Nicola Sturgeon on the campaign trail given her ‘divisive’ legacy and failures in office.
Detectives arrested Ms Sturgeon in June 2023 as part of the probe which was looking into allegations of fraud within Scotland’s governing party.
She was released without charge, as was then SNP treasurer Colin Beattie.
Her estranged husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, was rearrested in April 2024 and charged.
Peter Murrell appeared in private at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday charged with embezzlement and was bailed after making no plea
He appeared in private at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday charged with embezzlement and was bailed after making no plea.
The same day, Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were told they would not be charged and were no longer under investigation, after prosecutors directed Operation Branchform to conclude.
Scottish Tory deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: ‘For once, I’m in full agreement with John Swinney – it would be great to see Nicola Sturgeon on the SNP campaign trail next year.
‘Not only is she the most divisive Scottish politician of the devolution era but her record as First Minister is dismal.
‘She hiked taxes on hard-working Scots at the same time as devastating our public services – and that’s before we even consider the cynicism and secrecy which characterised her government or the ferries scandal and reckless gender self-ID policies.
‘John Swinney can’t escape the fact that he was beside her every step of the way, or that he’s doubled down on many of her worst policies since becoming First Minister, but if he wants to actively remind the public of this, we’d be most grateful.’
