In her resignation speech at Bute House in February Nicola Sturgeon promised not to give "unsolicited advice" to whoever succeeded her as SNP leader and First Minister.

"I know from experience that's not always something that is welcome," she told the world's media in a swipe at her own predecessor Alex Salmond.

But now some two and a half months on from her decision to step down from the top job, the man who replaced her, Humza Yousaf, has a considerably larger problem to contend with: what to do with the former FM and her husband?

Yesterday Ms Sturgeon made her first appearance in the Scottish Parliament since Peter Murrell's arrest and the police search of the couple's home and SNP headquarters on April 5.

Mr Murrell, like former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie, who was arrested last week as part of the same inquiry, was later released without charge pending further investigation.

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Ms Sturgeon insisted her mini press conference in Holyrood was not to elicit public sympathy though she stated recent events had been "very traumatic".

“This is not an opportunity for me to say 'Poor me' for this," she told reporters.

“But clearly the events of the last few weeks have been difficult. And I use this word advisedly and deliberately – in some respect very traumatic."

During her interviews with reporters she was flanked by her close ally, Former Deputy First Minister John Swinney and then hugged and greeted by social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville when she entered the chamber.

It was no coincidence that during Ms Sturgeon's return to Holyrood, Mr Yousaf was himself some 400 miles away in London on the second day of a two-day visit.

His dinner with EU and other international ambassadors, hosted by Germany's top diplomat to the UK, got little mention on the news dominated as it was with the former FM breaking the silence she has maintained since detectives knocked on her front door.

The problem for Mr Yousaf is that more events in the SNP drama surrounding his predecessor look set to unfold further overshadowing his activities.

Police Scotland's Operation Branchform, which is delving into SNP finances, is still ongoing and there is considerable speculation among SNP politicians both at Westminster and Holyrood that Ms Sturgeon could be next to be interviewed by officers, either as a witness or under caution. She told journalists on Tuesday she had not been questioned and would co-operate fully with police inquiries.

And while the turmoil shows little sign of going away, it shows every sign of damaging Mr Yousaf's own administration and career.

Public confidence in the new First Minister has not been high. At the end of last week, the first major poll carried out since Mr Murrell's arrest showed Scottish voters viewed Mr Yousaf as incompetent, weak and out of touch.

Despite his efforts to “reset” the Scottish Government and outline a new agenda, the YouGov survey suggested the public think...

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