Uncertain and Unfolding in the Wake of Resignation, Memoir, and Media Ventures

Nicola Sturgeon's Political Future Remains Uncertain

Nicola Sturgeon, the former First Minister of Scotland, has left her political future shrouded in uncertainty. When asked by journalists if she would seek to return as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), she simply replied, "You will have to wait," before walking away.

Sturgeon has so far refused to confirm whether she will run for re-election as the MSP for Glasgow Southside in next year's Scottish Parliament elections. While she submitted her application to the SNP to be considered for the election last year, this does not guarantee her candidacy.

Sturgeon has served as an MSP since the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 2019 and held the position of First Minister for nine years. Her shock resignation in 2023 plunged the SNP into chaos. Following her departure from Bute House, she was arrested by police as part of an investigation into the SNP's funding and finances. She was later released without charge.

Last month, Sturgeon announced her divorce from her husband Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the SNP who was charged with embezzlement in the same probe.

In 2023, Sturgeon revealed she had begun writing a "deeply personal" memoir covering her life in politics. She established a company, Nicola Sturgeon Limited, as she sought work outside of Holyrood. Her register of interest showed she received a £75,000 advance for the book from her publisher, followed by a £25,000 payment for her participation in ITV's General Election coverage. Additionally, she received £2,700 for three book reviews in the New Statesman, including one on Boris Johnson's memoir.

Sturgeon's successor, Humza Yousaf, is among several MSPs who have decided not to run again in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.