NICOLA Sturgeon has shared a personal message alongside a photo of herself campaigning for the SNP, after being cleared of wrongdoing following a police probe into the party.
On Thursday, the former first minister estranged husband Peter Murrell – the SNP’s chief executive for two decades – appeared in court charged with embezzlement and, shortly afterwards, police confirmed that Sturgeon was no longer under investigation.
Speaking afterwards, the former SNP leader said that there had not been “a scrap of evidence that I had done anything wrong”.
“I am completely in the clear, that is the outcome I would always have expected,” she told the media outside her home in Uddingston.
Posting on Instagram, Sturgeon then sent another message to her followers.
She said: “Just a quick message to say thank you: to my family, my close friends (you know who you are) and the hundreds of you I’ve never even met who have sent me words of support over the past two years – it has meant more than you will ever know.”
The former first minister added a love heart emoji to the post.
Soon afterwards, she shared an image of herself on the campaign trail in the Gorbals with SNP councillor Alexander Belic and SNP council candidate Mhairi Hunter.
Also sharing the image on social media late on Friday, Hunter wrote: "Well that's a wrap. Thank you to everyone who helped my campaign.
"Win, lose or draw tomorrow, you have done a power of work and I am very grateful. And now I may have a wee glass of wine ....."
Speaking to journalists in his office at Holyrood on Thursday, First Minister John Swinney said the SNP is now in a clearer position in that it may have been the victim of embezzlement, an issue he said must be dealt with in the courts.
Swinney said: “This will have been a very difficult and challenging experience for Nicola Sturgeon and for Colin Beattie [the former SNP treasurer who was also cleared on Thursday].
“I know they will be relieved by the outcome of the proceedings today.
“I share that relief for them and I hope this provides the opportunity for both Nicola and Colin to move on from the difficulties that they have faced while this investigation has been under way.”
Swinney said he could not comment on the live proceedings under way in the courts.
But he said the SNP had faced “very difficult times” in the recent period.
He continued: “I think what people will now see is that the court proceedings that are now live involve the possibility that the SNP has been an alleged victim of embezzlement and that’s obviously a matter that will have contributed to those difficulties.”
