Since her departure from Bute House, Nicola Sturgeon has established “Nicola Sturgeon Limited” to manage her non-political earnings. She signed a memoir deal with Pan Macmillan, reportedly worth up to £1 million, securing a £300,000 advance. By August 2023, she had begun receiving advances for her autobiography. Sturgeon has also earned from punditry, receiving £25,000 from ITN for election analysis, alongside payments from media outlets for book reviews. Critics have raised concerns over potential tax implications of her earnings through the company, while she has amassed over £640,000 since stepping down as First Minister in 2023.
Since leaving Bute House, Nicola Sturgeon has set up a company of the same name to handle her non-political income.
Just weeks after signing a book deal for his memoirs, the former First Minister registered Nicola Sturgeon Limited with the Enterprise Authority.
Experts estimate she could earn up to £1 million from her deal with publisher Pan Macmillan.
Ms Sturgeon has secured a £300,000 advance for the publication of her as-yet-untitled autobiography, due to be released in August this year.
Ms Sturgeon’s benefits register shows she received the first of four advances of £75,000 in August 2023.
She estimated that reading the book would require about 10 to 15 hours of work per week.
Ms Sturgeon set up the company in September 2023 and said at the time that “future books and related revenues will be paid into the company”.
Nicola Sturgeon received £25,000 from ITN as a pundit for ITV’s general election coverage in July last year.
Ms Sturgeon will co-host the event with comedian Janie Godley at the I Right Book Festival at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall in May 2023.
The profit register shows the company has been paid £29,650 since December 2023. The payments include £25,000 from ITN for his analysis of the SNP’s disastrous result as a pundit on ITV’s general election coverage in July.
Ms Sturgeon also received £2,804 worth of hotel accommodation and £329 worth of car travel between rehearsals and the studio for the week before and after the July 4 event.
When news of the payments emerged, her political opponents accused her of “shameless hypocrisy”. The SNP, which she leads, criticized former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who received a similar payment in 2019.
Nicola Sturgeon Limited also received £4,150 from the left-wing magazine New Statesman for five book reviews, the Register said.
In October 2024, the company received a payment of £500 from the Guardian for a book review she wrote. House of Commons documents for Nicola Sturgeon Limited show her as the sole director and list her occupation as “politician”.
Since stepping down as Prime Minister in 2023, she has earned more than £640,000 in salary and resettlement from Bute House resignations, book reviews and book deals.
Ms Sturgeon and her ex-husband Peter Murrell. She has earned more than £640,000 since stepping down as Prime Minister in 2023
Just weeks after signing a book deal for his memoirs, the former First Minister registered ‘Nicola Sturgeon Limited’ with the Enterprise Authority (File image)
In November last year, a former National Party minister launched a secret attack on Ms Sturgeon over tax matters.
Fergus Ewing raised concerns at Holyrood about people funneling book royalties and TV appearance cash to private companies.
Mr Ewing asked Treasurer Shona Robison: “Are you concerned that some people who set up limited liability companies are putting in income from things like book royalties and television appearances, which will reduce overall tax revenue?” he asked. What is their income tax liability and how much goes into Scottish public services?
Robison said he would not comment on “any individual’s circumstances” on such matters.
