Nicola Sturgeon arrested in funding probe

Nicola Sturgeon, until recently the first minister of Scotland, has been arrested and questioned by police about more than A$1million in missing party donations.

Scotland's former Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested. Picture: Getty Images.

Scotland’s former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested as part of the police investigation into the finances of the Scottish National Party (SNP) she led for eight years, sending shockwaves around the world.

Detectives quizzed the former leader for around seven hours, and she was later released pending further investigation, according to Scotland Police.

In a statement, authorities said “a 52-year-old woman who was arrested earlier today as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party, has been released without charge.”

Police earlier revealed Ms Sturgeon was “in custody and being questioned by Police Scotland detectives” in relation to a two year investigation into what happened to more than £600,000 (A$1.1m) of donations given to the SNP party by independence activists.

Police said they are unable to comment further as the investigation is ongoing.

A spokeswoman for Ms Sturgeon said: “Nicola Sturgeon has today, Sunday 11 June, by arrangement with Police Scotland, attended an interview where she was to be arrested and questioned in relation to Operation Branchform.

“Nicola has consistently said she would co-operate with the investigation if asked and continues to do so.”

Ms Sturgeon is the most high-profile official yet to be questioned in the probe.

Her husband and former SNP chief executive, Peter Murrell, was arrested and released earlier this month, followed by the group’s treasurer, Colin Beattie.

Scotland's former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was arrested and released without charge on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images.

Nicola Sturgeon answered questions from police over about seven hours at Falkirk station. Picture: Getty Images.

At the time, police also raided the Glasgow home shared by the couple, erecting a crime-scene tent in the front garden, and SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.

Mr Murrell has long faced questions over the alleged diversion of hundreds of thousands of gbp in SNP donations that were meant to support its drive for Scottish independence.

He also failed to declare a personal loan to the party of more than £100,000 (A$185k). Party treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested in April.

Ms Sturgeon made her final appearance as First Minister in the Scottish Parliament in March.

After more than eight years at the helm, Sturgeon said in February that she lacked the “energy” to carry on and was stepping down.

But the police investigation into Mr Murrell, whom she married in 2010, had been a cloud over her head.

Police drive past the home Scotland's former First Minister and former leader of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon, and her husband Peter Murrell, in Glasgow on June 11, 2023. Picture: AFP.

Mr Murrell resigned from his SNP leadership post in March after the party falsely denied to media that it had lost 30,000 members.

The disclosure came as the SNP held a bitter election to replace Sturgeon as party leader and Scotland’s first minister, eventually won by Humza Yousaf.

Mr Yousaf denied that Mr Sturgeon had quit knowing the police investigation was about to come perilously close to home.

“Nicola’s legacy stands on its own,” he said.

Following Mr Murrell’s arrest, Mr Yousaf said “clearly it’s not great, and I think the sooner we can get to a conclusion in this police investigation, the better.

“I’ve never been an office bearer in the party, I’ve not had a role in the party finances,” he added.

Mr Yousaf also said Mr Beattie’s arrest was “clearly a very serious matter indeed” but added that he had not been suspended from the party as “people are innocent until proven guilty”.

Recent surveys show only around 45 percent of Scots back their nation leaving the UK - the same minority recorded in a 2014 referendum, which London insists settled the matter for a generation.

The brewing scandal has plunged the SNP into deep crisis and damaged its dream for an independent Scotland.

Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray reacted to the latest news by saying: “For too long, a culture of secrecy and cover-up has been allowed to fester at the heart of the SNP.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “It’s fair to say that today’s events will have huge ramifications both for the SNP and the future of Scottish politics.”

SNP MP Angus MacNeil has joined opposition parties in calling for Ms Sturgeon to be suspended from the party - arguing that “this soap-opera has gone far enough”.

– With AFP

Originally published as Nicola Sturgeon arrested in funding probe