Nicola Sturgeon has blamed “growing pains” for the SNP’s current woes and insisted her party “is not in a mess”, as a row over the size of its membership cast the contest to replace her into disarray.
Scotland’s ruling party is reeling from a number of blows, including the dramatic resignations of SNP chief executive Peter Murrell – Ms Sturgeon’s husband – and media chief Murray Foote, amid controversy over membership numbers.
