NICOLA Sturgeon had to clear the contents of her book with Scottish Government officials before it was made public, documents have revealed.
The former first minister's hotly anticipated memoir is set to hit the shelves in the coming months.
Published by Pan MacMillan and titled Frankly, the book is likely to dominate headlines once it is available.
So, here’s what we know about it so far.
‘Deeply personal’
Announced in August 2023, Sturgeon said the book would be “deeply personal and revealing”.
Pan MacMillan won a bidding war out of nine publishers at an auction after she resigned as first minister in February that year.
The book will tell the story of Sturgeon’s childhood in Ayrshire as well as her career in politics, where she was Scotland’s first female first minister and the longest serving in Holyrood’s history. She also worked with five different prime ministers during her time in office.
Sturgeon said at the time the book was announced that writing it was “exciting, if also daunting”.
‘Restrictions’
Under the Radcliffe Rules, former government ministers, civil servants and special advisers are free to publish memoirs of their time in office.
However, this has to be signed off by the Permanent Secretary, Scotland's most senior civil servant, who will review the manuscript to make sure it doesn’t impact national security interests, intergovernmental relations, or anything confidential.
According to documents recently published on the Scottish Government’s website and released via FOI, Sturgeon’s memoir passed checks with no changes.
Officials were sent four hard copies of the book, with the documents revealing that “at all times strong security arrangements have been observed” and that only a small number of staff had access to it.
“On the basis of advice from my review group, it is not considered that any changes are required to the manuscript in order to comply with the Radcliffe Rules or the Scottish Ministerial Code,” John-Paul Marks, the former permanent secretary, wrote to Sturgeon in April.
Publication
The book is due to be published on August 14, with Sturgeon being paid a £300,000 advance for her work. This is being paid in instalments to her company, and is made public through her MSP register of interest.
Sturgeon is set to go on a launch tour for the book across Scotland, including an appearance at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Ticket prices range from £33 to £73.
Sturgeon also posted a video of herself signing a huge pile of pages that will be attached to the book for those who have pre-ordered.
There have been some hints about what the book will contain.
“Full of the verve and wit that made Sturgeon one of the most high-profile politicians in the UK, this is a unique blend of personal insight and captivating vignettes,” a blurb for the book reads.
“Infused throughout with a love of Scotland and its people, it honestly discusses Sturgeon’s mistakes, her battles, and her triumphs. Frankly is the compelling story of no ordinary politician.”
