Nicola Sturgeon – latest: Blackford rejects calls for ex-SNP leader to be suspended after video leak

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The Times has reported that Nicola Sturgeon will not return to the Scottish parliament this week with her ‘emails being examined by police’.

As we have already repoted, she has said her absence is intended tonot overshadow a speech being made by Humza Yousaf, her successor as the leader of the Scottish National Party.

Ms Sturgeon is set to continue in her role as an MSP for Glasgow Southside.

The SNP is so divided and distracted by internal difficulties that it is no longer “governing in the interests of Scotland”, Labour’s Anas Sarwar said as he called for an early Holyrood election.

Amid speculation that former first minister Nicola Sturgeon may be about to quit as an MSP, prompting a by-election in Glasgow Southside, Mr Sarwar said a “wider” election across all of Scotland was needed.

The Scottish Labour leader said: “If Nicola Sturgeon is going to resign and, of course, that is a matter for Nicola Sturgeon, it’s a matter for the SNP, not a matter for me, but I am more interested in us having a wider election, not just an election in one constituency.”

On Instagram, the Scottish National Party has focused on its campaigning locally.

The party wrote: “At the weekend, @HumzaYousaf and activists in Rutherglen were out on the streets and doorsteps, talking to voters about our vision for a fairer, greener, independent Scotland.”

The story began with news that police Scotland have been investigating the SNP’s finances and the spending of about £600,000 for independence campaigning.

Ms Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell was arrested on April 6. He was taken into custody and was questioned by detectives.

The SNP released a statement saying: “Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so.”

The full story is here.

In case you missed any of the coverage over the weekend, this is what has broken about Nicola Sturgeon – the former Scottish National Party leader.

Reports Nicola Sturgeon is planning to quit as an MSP are just “idle speculation”, according to the SNP’s former Westminster leader.

The Daily Telegraph quoted a source within the party saying she planned to step down “sooner rather than later” amid a controversy over the party’s finances which resulted in her husband – and the former chief executive of the party – being arrested by police and subsequently released without charge.

Speaking to the BBC, Ian Blackford said: “I think what you’ve seen is idle speculation which is taking place.

“I speak to my colleague Nicola on a very regular basis and I can tell you that she’s focused on serving the interests of her constituents.”

Asked if she was proving to be a distraction, Mr Blackford rejected the idea, adding: “I think history will judge all of us and history, I think, will show a woman that’s led our country, that led us through the Covid pandemic, that has given inspiring leadership to all of us over the course of that period she’s been in leadership.”

Nicola Sturgeon will not return to the Scottish Parliament this week, The Scotsman has reported, with the former first minister set to take part virtually instead.

She has reportedly claimed the decision was made in advance to give space to her successor Humza Yousaf.

Opposition leaders have accused her of trying to avoid scrutiny as she faces questions over her husband’s arrest.

The Sunday Mail published the leaked video on Sunday, with opposition parties calling for new leader Humza Yousaf to suspend her in a move described as “politicking” by Ian Blackford.

“Goodness, gracious, absolutely not, there’s no reason for that at all,” Mr Blackford told BBC Radio Scotland on Monday when asked if the former first minister should be sanctioned by the SNP.

“I think that’s some of our opponents politicking, really, in this context.”

Nicola Sturgeon should not be suspended by the SNP after a leaked video showed her urging the party’s ruling body to “be very careful” about suggesting it had financial problems, the party’s former Westminster leader has said.

In the video, Mr Blackford said, there was “nothing which was in any way untoward”, adding: “What the (former) first minister was reflecting on was the ability of the SNP to conduct itself as an organisation, having the financial resources in order to fight elections and to support its members.”

SNP leader Humza Yousaf is facing calls to suspend his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon following claims police are investigating attempts to shut down scrutiny of party finances.

Ms Sturgeon blocked plans to hire a fundraising manager for the party when she was leader and first minister despite concerns about transparency, leaked emails appeared to show.

Police Scotland detectives investigating the party’s finances have been handed emails showing Ms Sturgeon quashed the idea of a fundraising manager in June 2021, according to Scotland’s Sunday Mail.

The newspaper also published a video in which Ms Sturgeon told the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) that there were no problems with the accounts, despite concerns.

Adam Forrest reports: