Why has Nicola Sturgeon been arrested and what is Operation Branchform?
NICOLA Sturgeon has been arrested by police this morning amid an ongoing probe into SNP’s finances.
Cops confirmed that the former First Minister has been nicked in connection with the ongoing investigation into the party’s cash.
She is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives.
Commenting a spokesperson for Ms Sturgeon said: “Nicola Sturgeon has today, Sunday 11th 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.”
What is Operation Branchform?
Operation Branchform is the police investigation into nearly £600,000 of “missing” cash from an IndyRef2 online crowdfunder in 2017.
It was launched in 2021 after claims from activists that the money raised was spent on other things.
The investigation has led to several high-profile SNP chiefs being arrested and questioned by detectives after Ms Sturgeon resigned as First Minister in February,
She came to power in 2014 after the resignation of Alex Salmond after resigned after eight years in the role.
Who was arrested?
In April this year Ms Sturgeon’s husband and former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell was arrested.
Mr Murrell, who married Ms Sturgeon in 2010, had been SNP’s chief executive from 1999 until March when he handed in his resignation.
As he was being quizzed by cops, his home, which he shared with Ms Sturgeon, was raided by officers.
Police were at the street at around 8.30am that morning according to neighbours and large numbers of police began arriving shortly after that.
At the same time, police swooped on the SNP’s headquarters in Edinburgh.
They were seen carrying out boxes of ‘evidence’ during the search.
During his time as chief exec, Mr Murrell oversaw 14 national election wins during his 24-year spell with the party.
But he had been under pressure over his handling of the leadership election, with claims around “secrecy” and “vote rigging” in the contest to replace his wife.
Police also confiscated a £110,000 motorhome which was discovered at Mr Murrell’s mum’s house following his arrest.
The luxury motorhome was bought by party chiefs ahead of the 2021 election.
SNP treasurer Colin Beattie was then arrested as part of the investigation.
After being released without charge, he resigned as SNP treasurer.
When he returned to parliament for the first time since being quizzed under caution, he briefly answered questions about whether he knew about the motorhome.
Initially, he denied he did not know about it, but hours later he appeared to change his story.
Mr Beattie was SNP treasurer from 2004 but was ousted by MP Douglas Chapman during an internal vote at the Nats conference in December 2020.
However, following Mr Chapman’s resignation after a row with party chiefs over a lack of financial transparency Mr Beattie was ushered back into the job in May 2021.
The SNP’s accounts for 2021 – signed off by Mr Beattie in June 2022 – show that between the end of 2020 and the end of 2021, the party gained fixed assets listed as “motor vehicles” worth £80,632 at the year’s end. It has not been confirmed whether this sum is a reference to the motorhome.
This is an ongoing investigation.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 52-year-old woman has today, Sunday, 11 June, 2023, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.
“The woman is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives.
“A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
“The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media.
“As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.”
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