Nicola Sturgeon laughs off having 'secret private life'

Scotland's erstwhile archetypal curate Nicola Sturgeon says societal media speculation implicit her backstage beingness made it look overmuch much breathtaking than it was.

She told BBC Scotland governmental exertion Glenn Campbell that immoderate radical wanted to judge determination was a "hidden concealed beingness of Nicola Sturgeon".

She addressed the online gossip successful a podcast being serialised by the BBC.

Ms Sturgeon announced successful February that she was stepping down, successful portion due to the fact that of the "brutality" of governmental life.

In the interrogation for the Nicola Sturgeon Podcast, the 52-year-old reflected connected her 8 years starring the authorities astatine Holyrood and what beingness mightiness clasp next.

In occurrence 2 Ms Sturgeon was asked what she thought of societal media speculation connected her matrimony and sexuality.

"Apart from the information that I work accounts of my backstage beingness connected societal media and I think, you cognize it is truthful overmuch much glamourous sounding and truthful overmuch much exciting. I person got houses everyplace if you judge societal media," she laughed.

Ms Sturgeon added: "The information that radical inactive don't deliberation they cognize everything astir me, good to immoderate extent, I instrumentality that arsenic a spot of an achievement, due to the fact that I person evidently managed to support a small spot of a backstage persona and that is simply a bully thing.

"But of people for different radical it isn't due to the fact that they don't cognize thing astir me, it is due to the fact that they privation to pretend, and they privation different radical to believe, determination is 1 hidden concealed beingness of Nicola Sturgeon, which sadly successful immoderate respects I americium acrophobic is not the case."

She went connected to accidental that by stepping distant from the high-profile relation she was seeking a "bit much privacy, a spot much anonymity".

Ms Sturgeon became archetypal curate and SNP person aft the referendum of September 2014 failed to present Scottish independence.

At that constituent she was already a seasoned politician, having been a subordinate of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, and lawman person of her enactment since 2004.

Under her stewardship she led the SNP to a bid of predetermination victories astatine UK, Scottish and section level.

Her past lawman archetypal curate John Swinney said helium was "very sorry" to perceive the quality but "completely" understood.

Ms Sturgeon told the gathered media that a archetypal curate was "never disconnected duty", had "virtually nary privacy" and it "takes its toll connected you and those astir you".

In this 2nd occurrence of the BBC podcast, transgression writer Val McDermid said immoderate of the rumours she had heard astir Ms Sturgeon were "laughable successful their absurdity".

The politician's person added that determination were those who wrongly claimed "exclusive knowledge" astir her.

McDermid said: "She [Sturgeon] has been a absorption for the lies arsenic good arsenic the criticism, and that is profoundly upsetting."

The podcast besides heard from Liz Lloyd, who was Ms Sturgeon's main of unit and had worked with her for much than 20 years.

She speaks astir her erstwhile boss's "look erstwhile you accidental thing stupid", her "sharp consciousness of humour" and the information "she tin laughter astatine herself".

Ms Sturgeon formally stepped down connected 27 March erstwhile her erstwhile wellness caput Humza Yousaf won the contest to win her arsenic SNP person and archetypal minister.

Although giving up beforehand enactment politics, she volition stay an SNP MSP for the Glasgow Southside constituency and beryllium connected the backbenches.