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Nicola Sturgeon’s media blitz overtaken by nationwide outcry over double rapist being held in women’s jail

Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, the first in a series of big interviews
Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, the first in a series of big interviews

Nicola Sturgeon picked a sticky week to launch a media blitz as the first minister embarked on a round of high-profile interviews just as the row over trans prisoner Isla Bryson ignited.

She started the week being interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg on her BBC’s flagship Sunday- morning show before staging a press conference in Edinburgh the following day where reporters were encouraged to ask questions on any topic.

However, on Tuesday, Bryson was convicted of raping two women as the Scottish Government and Scottish Prison Service refused to rule out the possibility of her being held at women’s prison Cornton Vale.

Despite the mounting outcry, the first minister continued her media offensive with interviews on BBC Radio 4 and The News Agents podcast.

Sources suggested the interviews were intended to put the Scottish Government on the front foot in its stand-off with UK ministers after Scottish Secretary Alister Jack issued a Section 35 order to block her government’s reform of gender recognition laws.

Her appearances were also planned to bolster her position ahead of the SNP’s special conference in March when the party will decide on her contentious plan to fight the next general election solely on independence.

She addressed a number of issues before being overtaken by the escalating row over where Bryson should serve her sentence.

The Scottish Government at first insisted the Scottish Prison Service dealt with prisoners case by case but on Radio 4 on Thursday, Sturgeon said there was no automatic right for a transgender woman to go to a women’s prison.

The interview concluded with her revealing an intention to write a memoir when she leaves office.