Nicola Sturgeon Reveals She Has Not Spoken to Jailed Husband 2026

Nicola Sturgeon has revealed she has not spoken to her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, since he was jailed for embezzling more than £400,000 from the Scottish National Party. The former first minister made the startling admission during a podcast recording at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, stating she will not visit him in prison and now views herself as a “mug” for worrying about his wellbeing.

Sturgeon’s Emotional Podcast Revelations

Speaking to broadcaster Iain Dale, Sturgeon disclosed that Murrell lied to her until the day he pleaded guilty. She learned of his guilty plea just a week before his court appearance, despite discovering he had been negotiating the plea for months. “That hit me like a tonne of bricks,” she said. “He was still lying to me right up until the day he pled guilty.”

The former SNP leader described how Murrell had become isolated and uncommunicative in the months before his arrest, prompting her to worry about his mental health. However, after learning the full extent of his crimes, she now feels betrayed. “What a mug, why were you worried about him?” she said. “He didn’t worry about me. He didn’t worry at all about what he was doing.”

No Contact and No Visits

When asked if she would visit Murrell in prison, Sturgeon was unequivocal: “No. I’m not going to speak to him, I’m not going to visit him.” She added that even on the day of his guilty plea, she was still learning new details about his misuse of party funds. “Over the years, he never really levelled with me,” she said. “The day he pled guilty, I was still learning about some of the detail of what he had done for the first time. I suddenly realised I had been living with somebody that I n

Sturgeon’s comments come after Murrell was sentenced to five years in prison in June. The embezzlement involved funds intended for the SNP’s independence campaign, and the case has sent shockwaves through Scottish politics.

Key Takeaways from Sturgeon’s Revelations

• Sturgeon has had no contact with Murrell since his imprisonment.
• She will not visit him in prison and has ended all communication.
• She felt “like a mug” for worrying about his wellbeing before learning the truth.
• Murrell lied to her until his guilty plea, despite negotiating for months.
• She was still discovering details of his crimes on the day he pleaded guilty.

Comparison of Public Reactions and Political Impact

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