Nicola Sturgeon says she WILL join the SNP election campaign 'from time to time' amid falling nationalist support - but won't commit to appearing alongside First Minister John Swinney
Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed she will be on the campaign trail as the SNP fights the General Election - but she refused to say whether she will be seen alongside First Minister John Swinney.
The former first minister and party leader told journalists at Holyrood on Wednesday she will support candidates where necessary 'from time to time' ahead of the vote on July 4.
Asked if she is expected to support the new First Minister in his bid for the SNP to return to Westminster with the most Scottish seats, Ms Sturgeon said her former deputy will have his 'own' campaign programme.
Ms Sturgeon has kept a relatively low profile amid Police Scotland's Operation Branchform, which saw her arrested and later released without charge as officers investigate the spending of £600,000 of SNP funds.
A report has been sent to the prosecution service after former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, who is Ms Sturgeon's husband, was charged with embezzlement.
Former party treasurer and current MSP Colin Beattie was also arrested and released pending further investigation.
Charges have not been brought against Ms Sturgeon or Mr Beattie and Police Scotland say the investigation 'remains ongoing'.
It comes after a new poll suggested the SNP could be left with just a rump of 16 Westminster seats after the election, down from the current 48.
The former first minister and party leader told journalists at Holyrood on Wednesday she will support candidates where necessary 'from time to time' ahead of the vote on July 4.
Asked if she is expected to support the new First Minister in his bid for the SNP to return to Westminster with the most Scottish seats, Ms Sturgeon said her former deputy will have his 'own' campaign programme.
A survey by Survation for True North put Labour on 36 per cent, four points ahead of the SNP on 32 per cent.
If the poll was replicated on July 4 - according to polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice, of the University of Strathclyde - Labour would come just shy of a majority of Scottish seats on 28 out of 57. The party won just a single seat in 2019.
Asked if she will be on the campaign trail, Ms Sturgeon said on Wednesday: 'I will be campaigning in the election from time to time, yes.'
Pressed on whether she will campaign alongside the First Minister, she added: 'John will have his own programme and I will campaign in ways that I think are helpful to candidates.'
Ms Sturgeon also said it is 'not for me to decide' whether she remains an asset to her party.
It came as Mr Swinney came under pressure over his attitude towards a recommended suspension for iPad bill MSP Michael Matheson that MSPs will vote on this afternoon.
Mr Matheson attempted to use expenses to cover a near-£11,000 data roaming bill racked up on his parliamentary iPad during a family holiday to Morocco at Christmas.
He later admitted the costs were incurred by his children, who were using the device as a hotspot to watch football.
A Holyrood committee has recommended he be suspended for 27 days and have his salary stripped for 54 days. It is unlikely the motion will pass, however, with the Scottish Greens not expected to support it and party MSP Ross Greer describing it as 'cynical'.
It came as Mr Swinney came under pressure over his attitude towards a recommended suspension for iPad bill MSP Michael Matheson that MSPs will vote on this afternoon.
Mr Swinney said he believes comments made by a member of the committee, Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells, prejudged the case.
He previously said he would not support the sanction, but an SNP motion at Parliament now backs it.
Mr Swinney told Sky News on a General Election campaign visit on today : 'I never at any stage suggested that I would bring forward an alternative proposition. What I expressed was concerns about a process which I think brings Parliament into disrepute.
'In no other walk of life would it be tolerable for somebody on a disciplinary panel to prejudge a case.
'It just wouldn't be allowed in any other walk of life, and I think the Scottish Parliament has got itself into a really tricky situation by doing that.
'Parliament will sort these things out and it will decide its position and obviously I'll accept what Parliament decides.'
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accused the SNP of 'putting their party interests before the good of the country'.
He added: 'John Swinney and the SNP are using the Boris Johnson and Conservative Party playbook - putting personal relationships before the integrity of Parliament.
'John Swinney is trying to defend the indefensible by backing Matheson, who was found to have attempted to misuse £11,000 of public money.
'It's completely and utterly unacceptable.'
He said Labour is 'dedicated to cleaning up politics', including by introducing a Bill that would include a recall process to sack suspended MSPs.
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