Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell to end marriage

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and ex-SNP chief govt Peter Murrell have “determined to finish” their marriage.

In a social media submit, Sturgeon mentioned the pair had been separated for a while.

Murrell was charged with embezzling SNP funds in April as a part of a police investigation into the social gathering’s funds.

Sturgeon was arrested and launched with out cost in June 2023. She insists she has executed nothing improper.

The previous first minister mentioned the choice to finish the wedding had been made “with a heavy coronary heart”.

She posted on Instagram: “To all intents and functions we’ve got been separated for a while now and really feel it’s time to convey others up to the mark with the place we’re.

“It goes with out saying that we nonetheless care deeply for one another, and all the time will.”

Sturgeon mentioned the pair wouldn’t remark additional.

Police Scotland has spent greater than two years trying into what occurred to £660,000 of donations given to the SNP by independence activists.

Sturgeon and Murrell’s Glasgow residence was searched by officers in April 2023.

Police additionally searched the SNP’s headquarters in Edinburgh and confiscated a luxurious motorhome parked within the driveway of Murrell’s mom in Fife.

In September final yr it emerged that officers had despatched prosecutors particulars of what that they had uncovered in an “recommendation and steering report” and have been searching for formal recommendation on what they need to do subsequent.

The replace was understood to be about Sturgeon and ex-SNP treasurer Colin Beattie, who’ve each remained underneath investigation after being arrested and launched with out cost in 2023.

On the time, the Crown Workplace and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) mentioned the police report was into account.

Police Scotland has mentioned it’s awaiting path from COPFS “on what additional motion must be taken”.

They have been Scotland’s political energy couple for nearly a decade.

Whereas Nicola Sturgeon ran the Scottish authorities, her husband Peter Murrell ran the social gathering of which she was chief – the SNP.

Ms Sturgeon’s predecessor, Alex Salmond, as soon as instructed me he privately warned the couple in 2014 towards concentrating a lot energy in a single family.

I’ve not been capable of confirm his account however within the years since then others within the SNP have publicly questioned the arrange.

In latest days, the previous first minister was quoted within the Monetary Occasions, apparently describing her work/life preparations as having been “all consuming for an extended, very long time”.

There’s been renewed scrutiny of any crossover between the political and private lives of Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell because the police started investigating the SNP’s funds.

Regardless of the final result of that ongoing case, it’s clear that the facility couple on the centre of it are actually dwelling separate lives.