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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Iona Young

Nicola Sturgeon: Who is first minister's husband as she steps down after eight years

Nicola Sturgeon has announced she will stand down as first minister of Scotland after eight years.

The longest serving – and first female – first minister said from her official residence at Bute House in Edinburgh that she will remain in office while the SNP select her successor.

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Ms Sturgeon is married to Peter Murrell, 56, who is the current chief executive officer of the Scottish National Party.

Here's all you need to know about his career and his relationship with the outgoing first minister of Scotland.

The couple met when Nicola Sturgeon was 18 at a young SNP members gathering in Aberdeenshire. They then began a relationship in 2003 and married in 2010.

They married at a ceremony in Glasgow and have no children. Sadly Ms Sturgeon revealed she had suffered a miscarriage in 2011 when she was 40, but kept it private to avoid being defined by the tragedy.

Ms Sturgeon admitted in a book she does not know if she could have “had it all” and led Scotland’s devolved government as a mum.

Mr Murrell has been CEO of the SNP since 1999. Critics of the leading party have questioned the repercussions of the couple holding two of the most powerful positions in the party but Ms Sturgeon previously said it does not affect their ability to work together.

The CEO has also received backlash for his backseat role in politics and more recently over the fallout from his £100,000 loan to the party.

Just yesterday on February 14, before the first minister announced her decision to step down, the couple was ranked second on a list of “Britain’s political power couples."

The list was published by Politico to coincide with Valentine’s Day and offers a “peek at the political love matches running Britain”.

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The first minister paid tribute to her husband in her resignation speech and described him along with her close family as "her rock" during the last eight years.

She has confirmed she will stay on as MSP for Glasgow Southside and plans to continue a career in politics while having more time to catch up with family and friends.

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