Nicola Sturgeon says she “won’t spend a lot of time stressing or worrying” about Alex Salmond trial

Ahead of Alex Salmond’s trial, Nicola Sturgeon has told Holyrood magazine she is focusing on issues she has control over, and “won’t spend a lot of time stressing or worrying” about the case.

Former first minister Alex Salmond was charged with a total 14 offences last January, including two charges of attempted rape, nine of sexual assault, two of indecent assault and a breach of the peace.

With the trial expected to begin in the new year, Salmond strongly denies all accusations made against him.

Police began an investigation into the former SNP leader after the Scottish Government instigated an inquiry into complaints of sexual harassment against him.

He then launched a judicial review against the Scottish Government into its handling of the inquiry, leading the government to concede its procedures had been flawed.

But with the trial bringing the prospect of senior figures in the SNP being asked to give evidence, and with much media speculation about what it could mean for her own future, the SNP leader told Holyrood editor Mandy Rhodes that he is focusing on issues over which she has control.

In an exclusive interview with Holyrood, Sturgeon said: “In terms of any trial, I don’t spend much time thinking about it. I’m not in control of it; I’m not controlling the timing of it. I’m not in control of the outcome, I’m not in control of any aspect of it and I guess the longer anybody is in politics and in positions of leadership, one of the things you learn is not to spend too much time stressing about the things you’re not in control of because there’s plenty of things you are in control of to focus on.

“So I won’t spend a lot of time stressing or worrying about it. What will be will be and around that I would say that I can’t, and I won’t go, into any detail or substance on it because I am not going to prejudice a process that should be respected. And I would simply caution others to take the same view and you know, not listen too much to the kind of gossip that swirls around in that kind of vacuum.”

Read the full interview in the latest issue of Holyrood magazine