MP Michelle Thomson was bullied, threatened and forced out of the SNP on the orders of then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon after her name became linked to a police inquiry.

And the former first minister’s right hand woman Liz Lloyd and husband Peter Murrell played key roles in the operation to coerce Michelle Thomson to resign the party whip, the Sunday Mail can reveal. Edinburgh West MP Thomson was never a suspect, arrested or charged with any offence and not even spoken to police when SNP HQ used strongarm tactics to kick her out the party.

Sturgeon and former SNP chief Murrell demanded she resign and threatened her career if she refused to make it look like her own decision. The revelations will pile greater pressure on Humza Yousaf who has rejected calls to suspend Sturgeon from the SNP or ask her to take a step back because of Operation Branchform.

A source said: “Michelle was ruthlessly ejected from the party on the orders of Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell as a damage limitation strategy in the face of a few bad headlines. As if that is not bad enough she was bullied and manipulated into making it look like it was her idea.

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