The Scottish Conservatives have written to the First Minister demanding that she “comes clean” over her use of her private email address, and publish the emails from this account.

The move comes after an article in the media alleged that the First Minister has been using her private email address for the last four years.

In a memo issued in 2015, staff were informed that the First Minister would be using her personal, SNP email address for “work” and were directed to use this address particularly for urgent weekend queries.

When previously asked about this at Holyrood, the First Minister failed to deny it, and her spokesman stated that she did not use her private email address for ‘substantive government business’.

The rules state that SNP ministers should use government email addresses in order to comply with Freedom of Information legislation.

Donald Cameron, the Scottish Conservative MSP who first raised this with Nicola Sturgeon in September, said:

“The First Minister must come clean over her private email use and publish the emails from this account.

“It would appear that the First Minister and her team have not been entirely forthcoming and we have not been given the whole truth.

“I have written to the First Minister asking her to answer this simple question, does she use her private email account?

“The only way to clear this mess up is for her to publish the emails from this account.

“Anything less will be seen by Scots as highly suspicious – what does the First Minister have to hide?”