Douglas Ross suggests Nicola Sturgeon's return to Scottish Parliament amid SNP finances turmoil was 'calculated'

Nicola Sturgeon’s return to the Scottish Parliament earlier this week was “calculated” to draw attention away from comments made by the SNP’s former treasurer, Douglas Ross has suggested.

The Scottish Conservative leader suggested the former first minister stage-managed her media appearance to distract from remarks made by Colin Beattie, who had spoken to journalists around two hours earlier.

Returning to Holyrood for the first time since the arrest of her husband, Peter Murrell, as part of an ongoing police investigation into the SNP’s finances, Ms Sturgeon described recent events as in “some respects very traumatic”.

She said: “I understand the view that some people might have, that I knew this was all about to unfold and that’s why I walked away. Nothing could be further from the truth. I could not have anticipated in my worst nightmares what would have unfolded over the past few weeks.” Her voice cracked with emotion as she addressed journalists.

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon talking to the media as she returned to the Scottish Parliament. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Earlier, Mr Beattie had said he was not aware of the purchase of a £100,000 motorhome by the party, but was later forced to clarify he “became aware of the transaction via the 2021 annual accounts”. The campervan, which was reportedly bought as an election “battle bus”, was seized by police from outside the home of Mr Murrell’s elderly mother.

Mr Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive, was questioned for around 11 hours before being released without charge.

Mr Beattie had started by telling reporters he had “very little” he could add to the information already public. However, his comments quickly caused a stir.

Speaking to journalists at the Scottish Conservative conference in Glasgow, Mr Ross was asked if he felt sorry for Ms Sturgeon at all. He replied: “No. This has been brought upon by herself, her actions, the secrecy that she has presided over in her party and her Government.”

Asked if he thought Ms Sturgeon’s performance was sincere, he said: “I personally believe … I thought it was very interesting that after a similar event like this with Colin Beattie, which was probably going to lead most of your papers, the former first minister appeared in Parliament for the first time. I’ve always thought every decision and action taken by Nicola Sturgeon was calculated and I still believe that to be the case.”

Asked if she was trying to knock Mr Beattie out of the headlines, Mr Ross said: “Having watched Colin Beattie’s huddle, I could imagine – not being an expert in this area – a number of front pages that had been written with two or three of the stories that he pledged not to give you when he walked up the stairs. And then along came the former first minister, not really expected, and then [that] understandably became the main story.”

It is understood Ms Sturgeon left her home on the outskirts of Glasgow before Mr Beattie spoke.

An SNP spokeswoman said: “This is nothing more than a desperate diversion from Douglas Ross to distract from his disastrous Tory party conference where he has just been humiliated by his own leader. As an elected member of the Scottish Parliament, Nicola Sturgeon was in Parliament this week working for her constituents.”