Nicola Sturgeon pays tribute to her crime writer friend Val McDermid for supporting her during the two-year police probe into SNP finances
Nicola Sturgeon last night thanked her close friend and crime writer Val McDermid for supporting her during the police probe into SNP finances.
Nicola Sturgeon last night thanked her close friend and crime writer Val McDermid for supporting her during the police probe into SNP finances.
The former First Minister told an audience at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival that Ms McDermid had kept her going for the almost two years that she was under police investigation.
It comes just days after it was revealed Ms Sturgeon would not face charges over the probe into the SNP’s finances, having first been arrested and released without charge in June 2023.
The dramatic development followed her estranged husband, former party chief executive Peter Murrell, appearing in court last week charged with embezzlement.
But last night, Ms Sturgeon embarked on her latest foray into a life outside politics after announcing she would not stand for Holyrood again in 2026.
She made her comedy festival debut alongside her close friend Ms McDermid for an evening talking about books at The King’s Theatre in Glasgow.
The pair have had a long friendship, with the politician often heaping praise on the author’s works.
Ms McDermid, who is best known for her detective novels, some set in Scotland and which have sold in their millions, has also supported Ms Sturgeon, particularly after the breakdown of her marriage.
Nicola Sturgeon and author Val McDermid on stage at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.
The pair - and other guests - performed to a crowd of around 1700 people
Police outside Ms Sturgeons house during the probe into SNP finances
After the former First Minister announced her separation from Mr Murrell in an Instagram post in January The Mail revealed that the Glasgow MSP had been spending time at the author’s luxury £320,000 Edinburgh flat.
The comedy show called ‘Books and Banter’ saw the pair interview actress Ashley Storrie, the daughter of late comedian Janey Godley, and crime novelist Christopher Brookmyre.
The event, where tickets cost upwards of £25, saw Ms Sturgeon greeted outside the theatre by admirers who asked for selfies. She was also welcomed by the 1,700-strong audience by cheers and applause.
Before settling into a conversation about books, Ms McDermid made reference to the week’s events concerning the fraud probe.
She said it was a special day as her friend was ‘free and out in the world’ and added: ‘Delighted to welcome Nicola here tonight to start this new chapter.’
Ms Sturgeon responded: ‘I don’t want to dwell on this. Can I just say the last couple of years have been interesting. The last couple of weeks have been interesting. I’ve announced that I’m going to leave politics next year. I have revealed the cover of my book available at all good bookshops...’
But she added: ‘The last couple of years I wouldn’t have got through without some really good pals, Val and Jo [Val’s wife] chief amongst them.
‘There are others in here tonight, but also without so many of you, or people I’ve never met who come along to things like this, send me messages to support, I just wanted to take 10 seconds tonight to say from the bottom of my heart thank you for all the support you’ve shown me.’
Last week, Ms Sturgeon told reporters she had done nothing wrong and that she was ‘completely in the clear’ as the £2.1m Operation Branchform probe came to an end.