We wouldn't dream of interfering with police

Yousaf insists his government didn't hold up search warrant

- PAUL HUTCHEON

HUMZA Yousaf has insisted the Scottish Government played no part in a reported delay in clearing a search warrant for Nicola Sturgeon's home.

A request to search the house she shares with her husband, ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, was made on March 20.

But it took two weeks for the warrant to be sent to a sheriff and it was executed on April 5 - the week after Yousaf won the SNP leadership race.

It has been suggested the delay aimed to ensure Yousaf's campaign for the top job was not damaged, but both he and the Crown Office have denied the claims.

Yousaf said: "I think the decision of the Lord Advocate, or in this case the Crown more generally, would be not to make decisions, I don't think, based on election contests or politics.