Scottish prime minister’s husband resigns over party membership fight

SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, 58, has stepped down a month after Sturgeon’s shock resignation as Scotland’s first minister.

“As CEO, I am responsible for SNP’s response to media inquiries regarding membership numbers,” Murrell said.

“Although I had no intention of misleading, I acknowledge that this was the result. Therefore, I have decided to confirm my intention to step down as Chief Executive Officer immediately.”

Murrell’s resignation comes after the SNP’s communications chief resigned on Friday after it was revealed that he had been told to deny reports that the group had lost 30,000 members.

After three candidates vying to replace Sturgeon asked Murrell to release the information, the party was forced to confirm the drop in paid support.

On Thursday, SNP confirmed that its membership had fallen from 103,884 in 2021 to 72,186 as of February 15.

Murrell has led SNP for nearly 25 years. He and Sturgeon married in Glasgow in 2010.

Sturgeon said in February that he lacked the “energy” to continue and would step down after eight years at the helm.

～Gender Reform Controversy～

Sturgeon has been party leader since 2014 and is Scotland’s first minister.

She faced significant backlash after pushing a law that would allow anyone over the age of 16 to change their gender without a medical diagnosis.

The law allowed a single rapist who changed from male to female after being convicted to serve a prison sentence in a women-only facility.

The UK government used an unprecedented veto to block the SNP’s proposed legislation after the rapist case made a fuss.

Sturgeon is also pushing for an independence referendum in Scotland, and the 2016 UK-wide Brexit referendum, which led to the UK leaving the EU, should allow a new consultation of Scottish views. claimed.

But the UK government dismissed that claim and the UK Supreme Court backed London in November, leaving no clear path for the SNP to achieve independence at the ballot box.

The three candidates running to succeed Sturgeon are current Finance Minister Kate Forbes, 32, Health Minister Humza Yousaf, 37, and former Finance Minister Ash Regan, 38.

The new leader will be announced on March 27th.

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first published as Scottish prime minister’s husband resigns over party membership fight