Former First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has been arrested in connection with a criminal investigation into the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) finances. Sturgeon, who stepped down from her role in March, was released without charge shortly before 5.30pm, after being arrested by police with whom she had met by arrangement on Sunday morning. In a statement released approximately an hour after her release, Sturgeon maintained her innocence, saying she had committed no offence, and described her arrest as deeply distressing. She also reiterated her commitment to the SNP, stating that she would “never do anything” to harm the party or Scotland.
Sturgeon’s arrest follows the arrest of her husband, Peter Murrell, who is the former chief executive of the SNP. Colin Beattie, a member of the Scottish parliament, also resigned from his position as SNP treasurer after being arrested in April. All three of the signatories of the party’s most recent filed accounts have now been arrested.
The investigation focuses, in part, on the whereabouts of approximately £660,000 in party donations collected after Brexit from supporters of a new independence referendum, which was never held. The party’s auditors quit 18 months ago, and members were only recently informed. By 2019, the SNP had only £100,000 in cash on its balance sheet, and the donations have yet to be accounted for.
The scandal continues to overshadow the tenure of Sturgeon’s replacement as party leader and first minister, Humza Yousaf, who is viewed as being close to Sturgeon. Yousaf was elected largely by promising “continuity” from Sturgeon’s regime. He appeared on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg just hours before Sturgeon’s arrest, stating that he was still in regular contact with her and that she was in a “good place.” He declined to comment on Operation Branchform, the ongoing investigation into the SNP’s finances, citing the ongoing police investigation.
The fallout from the investigation may have a significant impact on the SNP’s position in the polls, leading to suggestions that Labour could take almost half of the party’s 45 Westminster seats at elections next year. However, support among the Scottish electorate for the party’s core issue of independence remains close to 50%.
In response to the scandal, Angus MacNeil, an SNP MP, has called for the party to suspend Sturgeon. He suggests that the SNP should distance itself from the “soap opera” of the financial scandal.
As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen what impact it will have on the SNP’s reputation, as well as on the political landscape of Scotland more broadly. For now, Sturgeon maintains her innocence and her commitment to the party for which she has been a leading figure for many years.
