Peter Murrell Pleads Guilty to Embezzling £400,000 from SNP as Sturgeon Breaks Silence
Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the Scottish National Party and estranged husband of ex-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pleaded guilty on Monday to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party over a twelve-year period, prompting Sturgeon to issue a public statement describing the revelation as a “profound personal trauma.”
The Guilty Plea
Murrell, 61, appeared before the High Court in Edinburgh and admitted an amended indictment covering the embezzlement of £400,310.65 between August 2010 and October 2022 — spanning much of his 22-year tenure as the party’s chief executive. The amended charge reduced the sum from an originally alleged figure exceeding £459,000.
Lord Young, presiding, told Murrell: “You have pleaded guilty to a charge of embezzlement over a period of 12 years. As the chief executive officer of that organisation throughout that period, your actions constitute a gross breach of trust.”
Murrell admitted using SNP funds to purchase a £124,550 motorhome for personal use, luxury goods, and contributions towards two cars. He also falsified accounting records in an attempt to conceal his wrongdoing. Sentencing is scheduled for 23 June, and Murrell has been remanded in custody until that date.
Sturgeon’s Response
Nicola Sturgeon, who stepped down as an MSP ahead of the Holyrood election earlier this month, broke her silence in a statement posted to social media. She described her reaction as “difficult to put into words,” saying she was “angry, hurt, sad and very distressed” about the impact of Murrell’s actions on family, friends, and the SNP.
“To be deceived and let down by a husband I loved and trusted has caused me acute pain,” she wrote. “Why he acted as he did is, and always will be, beyond my comprehension.”
Sturgeon was emphatic that she had “no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever” that Murrell was misappropriating party funds, and described herself as “utterly appalled” by his conduct. She noted that she had been “fully cleared after a thorough investigation,” adding: “I was misled, just as others were.”
Political Fallout
Scotland’s current First Minister, John Swinney — formally re-elected to the role last week — said the “level of personal horror” he felt was “difficult to properly convey.” Speaking at a press conference, he described the day as “tough” for the party and said he was “gutted” by the outcome.
Swinney apologised to those affected by Murrell’s crimes, characterising the conduct as “whole scale deception” and insisting that Murrell was “exclusively responsible” for what had occurred. He said he had “no idea” why a campervan had been purchased, supposedly on the party’s behalf, and maintained that he had never suspected any wrongdoing.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie was less willing to draw a line under the affair. She argued that the guilty plea “does not put the issue to bed” and called on Swinney to provide a fuller account of what party leadership knew and when.
Background
Murrell was first arrested in April 2023 as part of a police investigation into the SNP’s finances, and was formally charged in April 2024. He appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in March 2025, making no plea at that stage. He and Sturgeon had been regarded as one of the most influential couples in British politics before she announced in January last year that they had decided to end their marriage.