Since leaving Bute House, Nicola Sturgeon has set up an eponymous company to handle income from her earnings outside politics.
Just weeks after signing a book deal for her memoirs, the former First Minister registered ‘Nicola Sturgeon Limited’ at Companies House.
Experts have estimated that she could make as much as £1million from the deal with publisher Pan Macmillan.
Ms Sturgeon secured a £300,000 advance for the as yet untitled autobiography, expected to be released this August.
In August 2023, Ms Sturgeon received £75,000 as the first of four instalments of the advance, Ms Sturgeon’s register of interests said.
She estimated the book would account for around ten to 15 hours of work per week.
Ms Sturgeon set up the company in September 2023 and, at the time, said that ‘future book and related earnings will be made to it’.
Nicola Sturgeon received £25,000 from ITN for being a pundit on ITV ’s General Election coverage in July last year
Ms Sturgeon chairs an event with comedian Janey Godley at the Aye Write book festival at the Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow in May 2023
According to the register of interests, since December 2023 the company has been paid £29,650. Payments include £25,000 from ITN for being a pundit on ITV’s General Election coverage in July, when she gave her analysis of the SNP’s catastrophic results.
Ms Sturgeon also enjoyed £2,804 of hotel accommodation in the week around the July 4 event, as well as £329 worth of car travel to and from rehearsals and the studio.
When news of the payment was revealed, her political opponents accused her of ‘shameless hypocrisy’ – the SNP under her leadership criticised Ruth Davidson, former leader of the Scottish Tories, for taking a similar payment in 2019.
Nicola Sturgeon Limited has also received £4,150 from Left-leaning magazine the New Statesman for five book reviews, according to the register.
The company received a £500 payment in October 2024 from the Guardian for a book review she wrote. Companies House documents for Nicola Sturgeon Limited show she is the only director and list her occupation as ‘politician’.
Since she stepped down as First Minister in 2023, she has earned more than £640,000 in salary and resettlement for leaving Bute House, book reviews and the book deal.
Ms Sturgeon with her former husband Peter Murrell. Since stepping down as First Minister in 2023, she has earned more than £640,000
Just weeks after signing a book deal for her memoirs, the former First Minister registered ‘Nicola Sturgeon Limited’ at Companies House (file image)
Last November, a former Nationalist minister launched a veiled attack on Ms Sturgeon over her tax affairs.
Fergus Ewing raised concerns at Holyrood about people funnelling book royalties and TV appearance cash into a private company.
Mr Ewing asked Finance Secretary Shona Robison: ‘Is she concerned the overall tax revenue is being reduced by some people who set up a limited company, who then appear able to insert income from, for example, book royalties or TV appearances, and thereby reduce their liability to income tax and the amount of money for Scottish public services?’
Ms Robison said she would not comment on ‘any individual’s circumstances’ on such matters.