Sturgeon's cleared of wrongdoing but her rapid fall from power still amazes

POLICE Scotland's probe into alleged financial wrongdoings within the SNP began in July 2021.

- Richard Elias

Yesterday, 44 months later, the central figure in the claims was told that she would not face any further action.

During that period of almost two years Nicola Sturgeon's fall from grace has been, if we wish to be kind, astonishing.

At one time, the doyen of the UK's political arena never seemed to be off our TV screens.

Many newspaper articles portrayed her as a refreshing antidote to the tired and scandalladen corridors of Westminster.

Gracing the front pages of countless glossy magazines, Ms Sturgeon was lauded and treated with kid gloves by so many interviewers, who carefully tip-toed around any potential awkward questioning.

Brilliantly shielded by her SNP apparatchiks, not once did she ever face cross-examination from a so-called "big hitter".

Her media appearances were carefully stage-managed and any attempts to rock her boat were ruthlessly stamped out by Ms Sturgeon's team.

COP26, the climate change conference that drearily, and unsuccessfully, makes its way around the world annually, was held in Glasgow in 2021.