Her intervention came as she presented a taxpayer-funded report on the democratic case for independence. It was the latest in a series of documents that would together form a new prospectus for separation.
She argued that the Tory leadership contest made independence “essential”, arguing that whoever succeeds Boris Johnson as Prime Minister will take the party and the country to the right.
Ms Sturgeon’s super-sponsorship plan allowed refugees to name the Scottish Government as a sponsor under the UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, rather than having to be matched with individuals.
Asked four months ago whether he intended to take in a Ukrainian, a Scottish government spokesman said: “If necessary, the first minister would be prepared to play his part in offering asylum.”
But on Thursday she refused to commit to inviting one to stay at the large Glasgow home she shares with husband Peter Murrell, the SNP chief executive.
She said: “I’ve always said and I’ll say again that if it’s the right thing to do, I’ll always play my part.
“I think I also said that I’m not sure living with the First Minister for someone seeking asylum, given the scrutiny and publicity surrounding it, would be something people would want to do.”
She said her government was trying to move people from temporary to permanent accommodation and “the pause will allow us to do that and then hopefully in months to give asylum to even more people”.
Ms Sturgeon claimed Scotland had taken in 7,000 refugees, more than double the 3,000 originally promised, and that this represented 20 per cent of the UK total.
But this appears to be due to the super sponsor scheme and far fewer Scottish households (one in 1,250) have offered to open their homes compared to their English counterparts (one in 700).
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