Tory MP accuses Nicola Sturgeon of a 'cover up' of her ex-husband's crimes in bid to jail Alex Salmond

Sir David, who served as Brexit secretary under Theresa May, also alleged Ms Sturgeon had “stitched up” his friend and her former mentor, Alex Salmond, as part of a “cover up” to prevent him finding out the truth.

Peter Murrell was jailed for more than five years in June after pleading guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP over a 12-year period.

Money was spent on items including a campervan, which was parked on Ms Sturgeon’s mother-in-laws’ drive, hairdryers, coffee machines, watches, jewellery and high-end fountain pens.

Nicola Sturgeon has consistently denied she knew of his actions, and her lawyer has said she is "innocent of any crime".

Speaking in an end of parliamentary term debate in the Commons, Sir David also said there had also been a conflict of interest over prosecutors who asked questions of Ms Sturgeon.

And he defended Mr Salmond, who died in October 2024, with Sir David claiming sexual misconduct allegations against his friend - which Mr Salmond was acquitted of in March 2020 - were part of a "conspiracy" to discredit him in an “evil act” by Ms Sturgeon.

Using parliamentary priviliege which gives immunity from legal action, Sir David listed a string of cars, and the motorhome, which Murrell had bought and said: “Did Sturgeon not wonder where he got the money for all those vehicles?

"And the kitchenware, the handbags, the pens, the pedants she loved? After all, who used the Dyson hairdryers in that household?

“My view on her denials is clear, she is lying. She knew full well what her husband was doing and how those luxury purchases were funded.”

He repeated a claim made previoulsy that Mr Salmond believed Murrell had stolen from him when they worked together in the 1990s.

He continued: “Salmond told Sturgeon it was deeply unwise to keep her husband on as chief executive, but she kept him in place, enabling his crimes for years.

"Eventually in March 2021 three members of the SNP’s finance committee withdrew and resigned, blaming incompetent and chaotic financial management.

“They were, in their own words, on the receiving end of a hostile backlash driven by Sturgeon’s toxic culture. They resigned in protest. Later on they were followed by the treasurer of the organisation.

“But Sturgeon told colleagues at the meeting where those first resignations happened, there are no reasons for people to be concerned about the party’s finances. No reasons. And when the treasurer resigned, she ignored it. Sturgeon was part of the cover-up, using her position to suppress justice. She behaved dishonourably and dishonestly.

“But her most evil act was stitching up Alex Salmond to hide the truth. When he was considering going on the national executive himself, the risk to the conspirators was clear. Here’s a numerate man who could not be silenced.”

Sir David referenced Mr Salmond’s words that he had been subject to a “malicious and concerted attempt to remove him from public life”.

He added: “It now appears clear that these actions to destroy a man’s reputation and life were motivated by a desire to hide their own crimes.

"There are many unresolved questions, but what happened to £60,000 of items dropped from the indictment? The hairstylers, the lingerie, the books by Sturgeon’s favourite authors. Murrell was clearly protecting Sturgeon by removing items that incriminated her.

“In the investigation, the police had further questions for Sturgeon, but the prosecutors stopped them from putting them. Those prosecutors worked for the Lord Advocate, the principle legal adviser to the Scottish government, a clear conflict of interest.

“There’s a clear pattern of secrecy, obstruction and power used to protect power, a pattern started by Sturgeon. Scotland needs a fresh start, that starts with a judicial inquiry into this entire sordid scandal, because it’s a scandal that cost Alex Salmond his life.”

Responding to Sir David's allegations through her lawyer, Aamer Anwar, Ms Sturgeon said: "This member of the ‘Old Boys Club’ has been spreading conspiracy theories on behalf of the late Alex Salmond since 2021 - and now he is telling more lies about me.

"The fact that he hides like a coward behind the legal privilege of Westminster says everything we need to know about him.”

Mr Anwar has previously said there were people "desperately trying to insinuate her guilt," but that "following a two-year gold-plated and robust investigation, Ms Sturgeon was neither charged, prosecuted nor convicted of any offence.

"Ms Sturgeon is innocent of any crime and whilst that might be a source of annoyance for some, it remains a fact that it was Mr Murrell who was charged, tried, convicted and imprisoned for his crimes today."

Sir David's accusations come after Ms Sturgeon earlier this week rowed back on an offer to publicly disclose the written statement she gave to police investigating her husband's crimes.