Call for FM’s husband to resign as party chief

Kenny MacAskill argues Peter Murrell’s position is untenable

Nicola Sturgeon’s husband should be replaced as the SNP’s chief executive, a former Nationalist justice secretary has said.

Kenny MacAskill said Peter Murrell being married to the SNP leader “must” affect his judgment as CEO of the party and called for him to go after a successor is found following the general election.

When Ms Sturgeon took on the top job in 2014 her husband was kept as the party’s chief executive.

Asked if he believed the relationship was an issue, Mr MacAskill, who served under Alex Salmond but was sacked by Ms Sturgeon, told the Sunday Herald: “Yes. Even if subconscious it must affect his judgment. Trouble is no one can step in at the moment as he’s never done a succession strategy. They need to recruit a deputy with the intention of replacing him in a year.”

Asked in an interview whether she would ever sack Mr Murrell, Ms Sturgeon previously said: “If I thought it was merited.”

The SNP refused to comment on Mr MacAskill’s remarks.

Following its loss of 21 MPs including big hitters Angus Robertson and Alex Salmond, questions are now being asked within the party about its general election strategy.

One MP told The Courier: “Everybody is feeling quite miserable about it (the campaign and result).”

Scottish Labour’s election campaign manager James Kelly said: “The SNP was sent a clear message on Thursday: get back to the day job.

“It’s quite clear that Nicola Sturgeon’s woeful record in government cost the SNP seats in this election.

“And questions will rightly be asked within the SNP about the panicked campaign Peter Murrell helped to run, which culminated in the farcical attempt to tell voters to back the SNP to get Labour. It was confused, incompetent and desperate. Nicola Sturgeon has some very serious questions to answer now. She must categorically drop her plans for a divisive second independence referendum and get back to the day job.”

A Scottish Tory spokesman said: “It is not surprising to hear dissent in the ranks of the SNP after such a terrible result. Rather than focusing on internal wrangling, however, the SNP would be better served taking the threat of a second referendum off the table and get back to governing Scotland.”