Nicola Sturgeon was paid £25,000 to work as a pundit for ITV during its live coverage of the general election, it has been revealed.
The former first minister declared the payment on the official Register of Interests at the Scottish Parliament. The cash was paid to her firm, Nicola Sturgeon Ltd, by ITN.
Sturgeon was in the ITV studio in London on the night of July 4 to provide analysis of results in Scotland as they were declared. The general election was a disaster for the SNP as it returned MPs in just nine constituencies, while Scottish Labour won 37.
The former first minister also declared £2803.78 of accommodation and the entry stated: “The cost of car travel to and from the studio for rehearsals and the live programme was £329.15 (plus VAT).” The fees and other costs came to over £28,000.
Sturgeon’s appearance on the show annoyed allies of First Minister John Swinney as she appeared to aim digs at the SNP campaign.
She criticised the lack of focus on independence and said it would be the “easy solution” for people to “take refuge in somehow it’s all my fault”.
The election had been preceded by a raft of negative publicity relating to her time as leader. Police are investigating allegations of embezzlement in the SNP and her husband, former SNP CEO Peter Murrell, was charged in April.
Sturgeon was arrested and questioned by detectives last year, before being released without charge.
One of the dozens of SNP MPs to lose their seats at the election later claimed Sturgeon owed them an apology.
Joanna Cherry was one of the few senior SNP politicians willing to openly criticise Scottish Government policy or the party’s strategy, particularly over controversial gender recognition reforms.
But Cherry’s independent spirit was not enough to keep her Edinburgh South West seat when voters went to the polls last week.
“Many, many former constituents said to me on the doorstep ‘I would vote for you Joanna but I just can’t vote SNP this time’,” she said after the election.
Asked whether the former first minister owed the party an apology, Cherry said: “I think she does.
“I don’t think you can ever blame a setback like this on one person, however, Nicola Sturgeon was a very strong leader who brooked no debate and no dissent, as I know to my considerable cost.”
She said there had been a “huge strategic failure” on Sturgeon’s part to further the cause of independence and reach unconvinced voters.
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