‘No questions for her to answer’: Former SNP Westminster leader defends Sturgeon amid £400k embezzlement scandal
The former SNP leader of Westminster has defended Nicola Sturgeon amid her estranged husband's embezzlement scandal casting a dark shadow over Holyrood.
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Earlier this week, Peter Murrell pleaded guilty this week to embezzling the sum of £400,000 from the SNP between 2010 and 2022.
The 61-year-old spent the money on items including a motorhome, cars, kitchen gadgets, expensive watches and pens, and more mundane purchases such as hand cream and toilet seats. He is set to be sentenced next month.
Earlier, an adamant Sturgeon shared she feels she is “serving a sentence for a crime she did not commit”.
Echoing this sentiment, Ian Blackford told Sunday with Lewis Goodall that there are "no questions for her to answer" as far as criminality is concerned.
“It's been a very, very trying time for Nicola and I think one of the key aspects of this is the fact that she herself was exonerated," he added.
He reiterated that Nicola doesn't "bear any responsibility for the crimes of her husband" but admitted the scandal is a "terrible black period" for the SNP.
'Clearly, Nicola Sturgeon and the party failed in the most significant way possible.'
— LBC (@LBC) May 31, 2026
@Lewis_Goodall pushes former Westminster SNP leader, Ian Blackford, on the party's failure to clamp down on Peter Murrell's £400,000 embezzlement. pic.twitter.com/MDzJvn1NaV
He explained: "Terrible crimes took place, the stealing of party funds. Nothing could be worse than that.
"We've just had that investigation and I think the question is, is the SNP worthy of the trust of its membership?
"I believe, under the leadership of John Swinney, that it absolutely is. But in no way, shape or form does Nicola bear any responsibility for the crimes of her husband.”
Ms Sturgeon was Scotland’s first minister from 2014 to 2023 while Murrell served as the SNP chief executive from 2001 to 2023.
Mr Blackford said Peter Murrell was "embezzling under the nose of the SNP" while Nicola was the party leader.
"Ultimately, yes, she accepts the responsibility that comes with that role.
"But the person that we should be looking at here is the one that's been guilty of the crimes, the gross deception.”
The SNP has faced calls for an independent inquiry into its finances.
Mr Blackford also said : "This is really about the actions of Peter Murrell, what he did in that trusted position as chief executive of the SNP, that large scale fraud that's taken place, which he’s now admitted and he'll be sentenced for on 23rd June.
But you know, Nicola has been in a position while this long running investigation, let's remember this does go back to 2023, this has been hanging over her and of course it stopped her from getting on with her life
He added she has given "very clear answers" that she wasn't aware of what was going on with what Peter was doing.”
Read more: Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband Peter Murrell accused of embezzling £459,000 from SNP
Ms Sturgeon previously said she had been “completely cleared and exonerated” by police and that she had been lied to by her former husband.
“(Murrell) perpetrated a crime on the SNP,” she added.
“By definition, that included me as the party leader. He misled. He deceived.
“He is serving and will be serving a sentence for a crime he committed. I’m out here feeling as if I’m serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit.”
Sturgeon was arrested two months later in connection with the inquiry and was questioned by detectives before being released without charge.
Following his guilty plea at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, Murrell was remanded in custody and could face a lengthy prison term when sentenced on 23 June.