Hay-on-Wye, Wales - Nicola Sturgeon, former First Minister of Scotland, addressed the Hay festival on Friday, attempting to deflect blame for the embezzlement committed by her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP). Murrell's guilty plea has brought renewed scrutiny on the SNP's leadership and financial oversight.

Sturgeon's remarks at the Hay festival, where she argued that she should not be held responsible for Murrell's actions, have been met with skepticism by many. "My picture has been on more front pages in Scotland this week than my former husband’s has, and I don’t think that’s right," she complained, seemingly more concerned with her public image than with the gravity of the crime.

Peter Murrell admitted to embezzling over £400,000 from the SNP between 2010 and 2022, using the funds for personal luxuries. This blatant abuse of power and trust has damaged the party's reputation and raised serious questions about its governance.

While Sturgeon maintains that she had no knowledge of Murrell's criminal activities, her leadership during the period in question has come under scrutiny. Critics argue that she should have been more vigilant in overseeing the party's finances and ensuring proper accountability.

Sturgeon's attempt to frame the criticism as a sexist trope – "It is the age-old cry of when a man does something wrong, well, the woman must have known about it, somehow it’s her fault" – is seen by some as a deflection tactic. While gender bias may exist, it does not absolve her of responsibility for the culture of the organization she led.

Moreover, Sturgeon's remarks about the “progressive left” – "I think part of the problem we’ve got right now, and it pains me to say this, particularly on the progressive left of politics, [is that] we have too many politicians who don’t appear to actually stand up for anything or believe in things" – appear to be a thinly veiled attempt to distance herself from the perceived failures of her own party.

Her admission that David Cameron was her favorite Prime Minister and her disdain for Boris Johnson may also be seen as calculated attempts to appeal to a broader range of voters, as she navigates her post-leadership career.

The focus should remain on the victims of Murrell's embezzlement – the members and supporters of the SNP who entrusted him and the party with their money. Sturgeon’s attempts to shift the narrative should be viewed with skepticism, as the SNP and its former leadership grapple with the consequences of this scandal.