Nicola Sturgeon shows 'utter contempt for telling the public the truth' by refusing to publish written police statement, Tories say

By MICHAEL BLACKLEY, SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 19:21, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 19:21, 14 July 2026 Nicola Sturgeon has shown ‘utter contempt for telling the public the truth’ after her refusal to publish the written statement she gave to police, it has been claimed. The former First Minister has faced a growing backlash for rejecting calls to release details about what she told the police in a written statement about the Operation Branchform case. It comes as Police Scotland confirmed that Ms Sturgeon submitted her statement to officers on July 26, 2023 – six weeks after she gave them a ‘no comment’ interview. Her statement stretched to 8,413 words and ran to 26 pages, details released by Police Scotland following a freedom of information request revealed. Writing in the Mail, Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton accused Ms Sturgeon of breaking a promise to accessibility made when she became First Minister. She said: ‘Her behaviour in the top job in Scottish politics when it came to being open and transparent was horrendous. ‘That attitude and utter contempt for telling the public the truth is only continuing now she has departed elected politics.’ She also claimed that when the truth comes out ‘Sturgeon’s already tarnished legacy will be well and truly in the gutter’. Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry also condemned Ms Sturgeon’s approach after she refused to release the police statement. She said: ‘It’s not so long since she was threatening SNP NEC members with having to hand over our phones for examination, her primary concern being leaks rather than seeking answers to the questions some of us were asking about the finances. Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been criticised for not releasing the statement she gave to the police ‘It’s quite the turnaround on “transparency”.’ Ms Sturgeon’s lawyer Aamer Anwar announced that the statement would not be released on Monday. He said: ‘Ms Sturgeon’s detailed statement produced for Police Scotland was to assist them with their inquiries; not for those who think they could now do a better job than the robust ‘gold-plated’ financial crime investigation. ‘Ms Sturgeon is innocent, as evidenced by the fact that she was not charged, prosecuted nor convicted of any crime. Having been exonerated through the proper process, there is no onus on her to now prove her innocence in the court of media opinion. ‘Neither Ms Sturgeon’s written statement or her police interview will be released.’ Mr Anwar was asked for further comment on the criticism of the decision. On Tuesday, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander became the most senior member of the UK Government to back a possible House of Commons committee inquiry into the fallout from the Peter Murrell scandal, which saw the former SNP chief executive being jailed for five years and three months for embezzling more than £400,000 from his party. He said that he is ‘deeply troubled’ by a culture of secrecy in the SNP Government following the revelations that the former Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain tipped off the First Minister John Swinney with details about the criminal case and encouraged the Scottish Affairs Committee to consider an inquiry. Appearing before the Committee, Mr Alexander was asked if he was concerned by the Lord Advocate briefing the First Minister about a trial involving the former chief executive of the SNP. He replied: ‘I’ve been deeply troubled by the culture of secrecy and general matters of conduct that have emerged in recent months in Scotland in relation to the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party.’ He said the Committee has ‘tread with some care on what are sensitive but very important issues’, but went on: ‘It is of course a matter for the Scottish Affairs select committee to determine what issues you investigate and what matters you look at. ‘But I know that there is – from the public statements that have emerged – consideration as to whether, if the Scottish Parliamentary committee system does not step up to look at some of these matters, at least an openness to consider whether it would be appropriate for this committee to look at a range of matters that are rightly and reasonably a matter of public concern. ‘So I, like others, await with interest the judgement this committee makes on those matters.’ Any investigation would look at a range of issues, including whether any public money was involved. The Scottish Parliament committees are unlikely to give a response until after Holyrood’s long summer recess. SNP and Green MSPs previously united to defeat calls for a Scottish Parliament inquiry into the scandal. An SNP spokesman said: ‘The parliament has already voted on the matter of an inquiry.’