Scotlands' EX First Minister Nicola Sturgeons' Husband Charged With Embezzlement

[Ladybbird]

Scotlands' EX First Minister Nicola Sturgeon ARRESTED in Relation to Investigation into SNP Finances

Nicola Sturgeon has today been arrested and is being questioned in relation to Operation Branchform, a spokeswoman for the former First Minister of Scotland confirmed

BBC 11 JUNE 2023





The former First Minister is being interviewed by Police Scotland

Nicola Sturgeon has issued a statement shortly after being arrested during a police investigation into the SNP's finances. Scotland's longest-serving First Minister, who stepped down in March, is in custody and is being questioned by detectives.





Police Scotland said: "A 52-year-old woman has today, Sunday, June 11, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party."

Officers are probing the spending of around £600,000 earmarked for independence campaigning, as part of Operation Branchform.

Following her arrest, a spokeswoman for Ms Sturgeon said: "Nicola Sturgeon has today, Sunday June 11, 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 cooperate with the investigation if asked and continues to do so."

Her arrest comes after her husband Peter Murrell was arrested in April.


Mr Murrell and MSP Colin Beattie, who was SNP treasurer at the time, were both released without charge pending further inquiry.

As well as the arrests, searches were carried out at a number of properties, including Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon's home - where a police tent was erected in the garden - and SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.

The investigation - dubbed Operation Branchform - began in 2021.

The news will pile further misery on Ms Sturgeon's successor Humza Yousaf, who is battling to turn around his party's fortunes amid a deepening crisis.

Shadow Scotland Secretary Ian Murray said: "This is a deeply concerning development and the Police Scotland investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference.




"For too long, a culture of secrecy and cover-up has been allowed to fester at the heart of the SNP.

"The same culture that leads to police tents in front gardens created the deeply dysfunctional government that is currently failing Scots.

"Humza Yousaf must urgently come clean on what he knows - the people of Scotland deserve answers."

[Ladybbird]

The Undoing Of Nicola Sturgeon; Scotlands' Former First Ministers' Husband Charged With Embezzlement

Nicola Sturgeons' husband Peter Murrell is charged by Police Scotland detectives over embezzlement of funds from the SNP

MailOnline 20 APR 2024





















Peter Murrell, the husband of Scotland's ex-first minister Nicola Sturgeon, has been charged by Police Scotland detectives over embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.



The 59-year-old, the party's former chief executive, was taken into custody this morning in connection with the probe into how more than £600,000 of donations was used.

The charge came after he was qu stioned by detectives and a report will be sent to Scotland's prosecution service, police said, adding that Mr Murrell is no longer in custody.

He was first arrested by Police Scotland on April 5 last year in the same probe into the SNP's finances, with Ms Sturgeon herself arrested two months later.

Mr Murrell is reported to have resigned his membership of the SNP last night. He quit his role as chief executive in March last year after 22 years in the job.

Police Scotland said in a statement this evening: 'A 59-year-old man has today, Thursday, 18 April, 2024, been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.

'The man, who was arrested at 9.13am today and had previously been arrested as a suspect on 5 April, 2023, was charged at 6.35pm after further questioning by Police Scotland detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party.

'A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in due course. The man is no longer in police custody.

'As this investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.'

Police officers, including forensics experts and others with riot shields sparked political uproar last year when they made a very public search of the Sturgeon family home in Glasgow and the nationalist party's Edinburgh headquarters.

Ms Sturgeon, who resigned as first minister and SNP leader in February 2023, was arrested two months after her husband, while the former party treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested. Both Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were released without charge pending further investigation.