Humza Yousaf has said there is no case for Nicola Sturgeon to be suspended over the deepening row over party finances.
He said of her husband Peter Murrell getting questioned by police: “We are far past the time of judging what a woman does based on what happens to her husband.
But the new First Minister admitted he had not spoken to his predecessor in the past fortnight.
The SNP is in crisis over a police investigation into how over £600,00 of IndyRef2 donations were spent.
Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell, who was SNP chief executive at the time, was arrested recently and released without charge by police.
The former SNP leader is herself facing questions over a video which showed her claiming the party finances were in good health before police launched their probe.
Yousaf was asked in Dundee whether Sturgeon, who is staying away from Holyrood this week, should stand down as an MSP.
He said: “No, and she would have no reason to resign at all.
“I can't understand the reasons or rationale for why people are claiming that. Of course, the only people claiming that are our political opponents and they are hardly dispassionate, objective observers of what is happening within the SNP.”
He also rejected suggestions she should be suspended as a party member: “Not at all. I see no reason for that whatsoever.”
He said of the Sturgeon video: “That video is from March 2021 as we were in the midst of about to be fighting a Holyrood election. It tends to be the case that you fundraise in advance of an election, you tend to spend quite a fair bit of money during an election and, after the election, of course, is when you want to make sure that you can address any cash flow issues that you might have.
“So I wasn't particularly disturbed at all by the video in a way that some of our opponents seem to be."
Yousaf said of his difficult start: “Nobody ever said it was going to be an easy job.”
He said of relations with Sturgeon: “Nicola and I I haven't spoken, as you'd imagine, over the last couple of weeks.
“We've not got anything in the diary. Nicola and I will of course speak, but what we won't speak about is the police investigation.
Asked whether he felt let down by Sturgeon or Murrell, he replied: "Not by them personally, but I do think that the party has to do better around governance and transparency. It's why the NEC has approved a review into governance and transparency, and with external input.”
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