Sturgeon sips wine in Notting Hill as Murrell's jail week ends
Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was photographed sipping white wine during a lengthy alfresco lunch in Notting Hill as estranged husband Peter Murrell finished his first week in HMP Dumfries after being jailed for embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP. The images are the first public sighting of nicola sturgeon after murrell's sentence began, reviving pressure over Operation Branchform and her police interviews.
Reports from The Telegraph, Mail Plus and the Scottish Daily Express describe a relaxed Sunday meal at Golborne Bistro with human rights lawyer Claire Mitchell KC. Sturgeon has relocated to London and is filing for divorce while Murrell serves five years and three months.
Key Takeaways
- Sturgeon was pictured drinking white wine for several hours at Golborne Bistro in Notting Hill with Claire Mitchell KC.
- It came as Peter Murrell completed his first week in jail after admitting embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP over 12 years.
- Mitchell represented bereaved families at the UK Covid Inquiry and accused the SNP of a "culture of secrecy".
- Sturgeon has faced no charges but calls persist for her to release a written statement given to police.
- The former First Minister has denied any knowledge of Murrell's crimes and says she fully cooperated with detectives.
Where was Nicola Sturgeon spotted after Murrell's jail sentence?
Photographs show Sturgeon dining outside Golborne Bistro in Notting Hill, a restaurant known for Anglo-Mediterranean food. Onlookers told reporters she appeared animated, laughing and talking with Mitchell KC over white wine in the sunshine.
It marked her first appearance in public since Murrell was sent to HMP Dumfries. The Scottish Daily Express reported that Sturgeon has moved to London for a fresh start amid continuing fallout from the SNP finances scandal.
Who joined Sturgeon for the Notting Hill lunch?
Sturgeon's companion was Claire Mitchell KC, a leading human rights lawyer described across the sources as a friend. Mail Plus reported the lunch was with a KC associate who has examined Sturgeon's pandemic-era record.
At the UK Covid Inquiry, Mitchell represented Scottish Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice through Aamer Anwar's firm. She cross-examined senior figures including former First Minister Humza Yousaf and Sturgeon confidante Liz Lloyd.
Although Mitchell did not question Sturgeon directly, her closing submission accused the SNP government of fostering a toxic "culture of secrecy" and showing a "lack of urgency" during the crisis. She also said ministers had "robbed answers" from bereaved families through the deletion of WhatsApp messages.
Why does the lunch matter politically?
The timing drew scrutiny. While Murrell began a five-year sentence for crimes spanning 2010 to 2022, Sturgeon was seen enjoying a lengthy social meal only days later. Critics say the optics clash with the gravity of the embezzlement case that has rattled the SNP.
Sturgeon stepped down as First Minister in 2023 and was arrested in Operation Branchform but was told she was no longer under investigation. She has repeatedly denied knowing about Murrell's spending, which funded cars, a motorhome and luxury goods, some linked to her.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton and others have demanded she publish her written police statement. Reports cited by multiple outlets say detectives were frustrated after she gave a "no comment" interview, and that her follow-up statement did not address all questions officers wanted to ask.
What happens next in the Murrell and SNP finance saga?
Murrell admitted embezzling £400,310.65 and his sentence was backdated to 25 May 2026, according to BBC News. He could be eligible for parole after serving half the term. A proceeds-of-crime hearing is scheduled, and the SNP is seeking to recover £400,000 through a compensation order.
For Sturgeon, political pressure shows little sign of easing. Joanna Cherry KC has backed calls for a Scottish Parliament inquiry into party governance, arguing Murrell could not have acted so long without hostility to scrutiny. Sturgeon's lawyer Aamer Anwar has said she is innocent of any crime and that guilt lies with the man now in prison.
As accountability debates swirl around UK institutions — a theme we track closely in our Fintech & Crypto Alerts coverage — Sturgeon's Notting Hill outing ensures the Branchform scandal stays in the headlines well beyond Murrell's first week behind bars.