Nicola Sturgeon gives update on Holyrood future

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon says the public will “have to wait and see” whether she stands for re-election next year.

Ms Sturgeon made a rare appearance at first minister’s questions in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday afternoon after being absent for months.

Since moving to the backbenches after resigning as first minister in 2023, Ms Sturgeon has made limited appearances in Holyrood and there is wide speculation she will step down as the MSP for Glasgow Southside.

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon during a devolution event in Edinburgh in May | Press Association

Ms Sturgeon put herself forward to the SNP’s national executive committee to be vetted as a candidate for next year’s election, but she has not yet decided whether she will formally seek re-election if she is cleared by the vetting process.

Her successor Humza Yousaf also submitted papers to be vetted as a candidate, but just before Christmas he announced he would be standing down in 2026 and leaving frontline politics.

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After her appearance in the debating chamber on Thursday, she was asked by journalists whether she had made a decision on the 2026 election.

She did not stop to speak to the journalists, but said: “You will have to wait and see.”

A raft of other SNP MSPs have already announced they will be standing down in 2026, including Business Minister Richard Lochhead, former government ministers Joe FitzPatrick and Elena Whitham, and veteran Christine Grahame who has been an MSP since devolution in 1999.

Ms Sturgeon is still under investigation as part of Operation Branchform, the Police Scotland investigation into SNP finances.

Ms Sturgeon, along with her husband and former chief executive Peter Murrell and former party treasurer Colin Beattie, were all arrested as part of the investigation.

Both Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were later released without charge.

Mr Murrell was later charged with embezzlement in April 2024.

At the start of this year, Ms Sturgeon announced she and Mr Murrell had separated.