Nicola Sturgeon’s divorce is a “horrific thing for anyone to go through”, a former Scottish Labour leader has said.
Kezia Dugdale said “anybody that has any compassion in their body” could see that it was a difficult time for the former first minister.
Sturgeon announced the end of her marriage with former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell on Monday.
The former power couple of Scottish politics, who married in 2010, led the Nationalists through a series of unprecedented election victories.
Dugdale was asked how sympathetic she felt towards Sturgeon on Times Radio. She said: “Deeply sympathetic and I will get a lot of crap on social media for saying that, and I say that as someone who was diametrically opposed to her for much of my political life.
“I stood up against her at First Minister’s Questions every week for about two and a half years.”
Dugdale added: “It’s a horrific thing for anyone to go through and anybody that has any compassion in their body can surely see that regardless of politics.”
In a message shared on Instagram on Monday morning, former first minister Sturgeon said: “With a heavy heart I am confirming that Peter and I have decided to end our marriage. To all intents and purposes we have been separated for some time now and feel it is time to bring others up to speed with where we are.
“It goes without saying that we still care deeply for each other, and always will. We will be making no further comment.”
Sturgeon, the then deputy first minister, married Murrell at the Oran Mor in the west end of Glasgow in July 2010.
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here