Nicola Sturgeon Discusses Arrest, Divorce, and Secret Meetings
Nicola Sturgeon spoke candidly about recent private and public upheavals during an appearance on STV’s The Assembly. The former first minister discussed her separation, a past miscarriage, and her 2023 arrest. She also reflected on her political relationships and personal losses.
Marriage, separation and career change
Sturgeon said she and Peter Murrell decided to end their marriage in January 2025. The couple had been separated for some time before the announcement. Murrell served as SNP chief executive for more than two decades.
Public focus has centred on allegations against Murrell. He was charged with embezzling £460,000 of SNP funds. A further court appearance was scheduled in relation to those charges.
Sturgeon acknowledged those reports influenced public perception of her split. She added the breakup reflected wider personal choices. She said she wanted to explore who she is outside politics.
Arrest and Operation Branchform
In June 2023, Police Scotland arrested Sturgeon under Operation Branchform. She was later released without charge. She described the experience as traumatic and said she had tried to block it from memory.
Sturgeon said the arrest left her in a “shutdown state” and was deeply unsettling. It came months after she had stepped down as SNP leader. The episode remains a significant part of her recent public life.
Miscarriage and emotional aftermath
Sturgeon spoke about a miscarriage she experienced at age 40. An audience member mentioned the name Isla Margaret, which moved her to tears. She said guilt and unresolved feelings persisted years later.
She described initial uncertainty about pregnancy and worry over its impact on her career. Losing the child left a lasting emotional effect. She said the memory can resurface unexpectedly.
Relationship with Alex Salmond
Sturgeon reflected on her political partnership with her predecessor, Alex Salmond. The pair had led successful campaigns together since 2007. Their relationship later broke down amid allegations against Salmond.
Salmond was tried at the High Court in Edinburgh and was cleared of a number of sexual misconduct charges in 2020. He later led the Alba Party, which often criticised the SNP. He died suddenly of a heart attack in October in North Macedonia, aged 69.
Sturgeon said she felt grief at his death and regretted being unable to attend his funeral. She said she had hoped he might acknowledge that the fallout was not her fault.
On questions of secrecy and private life
Members of the audience asked about possible secret rendezvous and private meetings. Sturgeon answered playfully and gave a non-committal reply. She asked viewers to read her body language.
The conversation touched on themes of privacy, public scrutiny, and personal reinvention. Sturgeon has also stepped down as an MSP ahead of the forthcoming Holyrood election.
This report appears on Filmogaz.com and summarises Sturgeon’s comments on politics and private matters. The discussion covered topics from arrest and divorce to secret meetings and grief.
