The Aporia · Swinney says he and Sturgeon ‘still friends’ despite election campaign criticism

Swinney says he and Sturgeon ‘still friends’ despite election campaign criticism

Read the original at Evening Standard ↗

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Pooran, N. (2026, October 11). Swinney says he and Sturgeon ‘still friends’ despite election campaign criticism. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/first-minister-nicola-sturgeon-snp-peter-murrell-scottish-b1300329.html

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Story summary

Nicola Sturgeon's chief secretary John Swinney appeared on BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show and was asked about his relationship with the First Minister after a contentious election campaign. Despite criticism, Swinney confirmed they are still friends but noted his commanding victory in the recent election. He felt personally hurt by Murrell's admission of crime involving fund-raising for their party and expressed confidence that money would be recovered through legal proceedings. When discussing Andy Burnham’s comments on Scottish independence, Swinney stated there is an obligation for the Prime Minister to recognize changes within the United Kingdom due to leaders in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland wanting to leave the UK.

Written for “Scottish Politics Conflict” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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sentences that state something as happening or true

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0 of 14 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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withheld

no quote in the article backed the model's score

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65/100

Evening Standard's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Neil Pooran

31 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 “Jackdaw is 99.9% complete and, with approval now secured, gas from this field will be flowing into homes up and down the country within weeks.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Industry groups welcome Jackdaw decision, but say Rosebank ‘equally vital’

🔮 “Jackdaw is 99.9% complete and, with approval now secured, gas from this field will be flowing into homes up and down the country within weeks.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Industry groups welcome Jackdaw decision, but say Rosebank ‘equally vital’

🔮 “While judicial decision-making is a matter for the independent judiciary, we will consider the Strasbourg Court’s decision carefully together with the Scottish court authorities for any ongoing implications for court proceedings in Scotland.”

2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Human rights court rules in favour of BBC Scotland in court access case

🔮 He added: “But there are, of course, civil remedies available to the Scottish National Party. “We will reserve our position on that until such time as the Crown process is concluded.”

2026-10-11 · assertive framing · Swinney says he and Sturgeon ‘still friends’ despite election campaign criticism

🔮 Asked what role she would like to play on the show, she said: “I would be a traitor, absolutely 100%, it’s much more fun.”

2026-10-10 · assertive framing · Scottish fashion designer’s joy as Claudia Winkleman wears her items on Traitors

🔮 But the next, somewhat futuristic step in the art of whisky making will enter the history books – with the water of life to be distilled in space for the first time.

2026-10-05 · assertive framing · Distilled in space - the water of life to be given an extraterrestrial flavour

🔮 Whisky will be distilled in space for the first time as part of an experiment which will also measure how the spirit ages in the harsh environment beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.

2026-10-05 · mixed framing · Whisky to be aged in space for first time in university satellite project

🔮 Whisky will be distilled in space for the first time as part of an experiment which will also measure how the spirit ages in the harsh environment beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.

2026-10-05 · mixed framing · Whisky to be aged in space for first time in university satellite project

🔮 This will determine the confiscation of funds which he embezzled from the SNP over a 12-year period while he was its chief executive.

2026-09-30 · assertive framing · Peter Murrell’s legal aid withdrawn by funding body

🔮 Skyrora XL is a three-stage rocket which will stand 23-metres tall, able to carry a payload of up to 315kg of satellites.

2026-09-29 · assertive framing · Scottish space company hails successful ‘hot fire’ test of rocket engine

Also by Neil Pooran

Industry groups welcome Jackdaw decision, but say Rosebank ‘equally vital’

2026-10-21 · Evening Standard

Industry groups welcome Jackdaw decision, but say Rosebank ‘equally vital’

2026-10-21 · Evening Standard

Human rights court rules in favour of BBC Scotland in court access case

2026-10-13 · Evening Standard

Human rights court rules in favour of BBC Scotland in court access case

2026-10-13 · Evening Standard

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 31 articles by Neil Pooran →

Narrative

Claims (14 extracted, 0 hedged)

Senior figures in the SNP have strongly disputed her assessment. asserted

figures → dispute → assessment

During an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show, Mr Swinney was asked when he had last spoken to Ms Sturgeon. asserted

he → ask → Sturgeon

“I’ve talked to her over the summer,” he said. asserted

he → talk → summer

“We’re still friends, but I think the point I’d make is that I won the election pretty commandingly.” asserted

I → ’re → election

He said he felt “absolutely gutted” when Murrell admitted the crime and it had been a “hugely damaging and traumatic experience for my party”. asserted

it → say → party

Mr Swinney said he had felt most hurt by the fact he knows people who had worked “very, very hard” to raise money for the party at events. asserted

who → say → events

A Proceeds of Crime hearing is due to take place for Murrell later this year, which Mr Swinney said he expects to be “successful” in recovering the money for the SNP. asserted

he → take → SNP

He added: “But there are, of course, civil remedies available to the Scottish National Party. “We will reserve our position on that until such time as the Crown process is concluded.” asserted

process → add → time

Mr Swinney also discussed Andy Burnham’s recent comments about Scottish independence. asserted

Swinney → discuss → independence

In his recent speech to the Labour conference, Mr Burnham said he is “utterly determined” to prove wrong Mr Swinney’s assertion that he will be the last Prime Minister of the UK. asserted

he → say → UK

Mr Swinney said: “I think what his statement made me realise – just the extent to which he realises he has got to prove that he will not be the last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. asserted

he → say → Kingdom

Read More “I think the only way that he can do that is by enabling the people of Scotland to have a choice about their own constitutional future, and that means he has to agree to a referendum on independence.” asserted

he → read → independence

The SNP leader also referred to the recent summit involving himself, Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin leaders in Cardiff. asserted

leader → refer → Cardiff

He said: “I think there’s an absolute obligation on the Prime Minister to recognise that the United Kingdom is now a fundamentally different constitutional entity, because Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are led by first ministers who want to leave the United Kingdom.” asserted

who → say → Kingdom

Swinney says he and Sturgeon ‘still friends’ despite election campaign criticism

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Claims (14 extracted, 0 hedged)