Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with an ongoing Police Scotland investigation into the funding of the Scottish National Party (SNP), according to
her spokesperson. The investigation focuses on the handling of over £600,000 raised by Scottish independence campaigners in 2017, which was intended for specific use but may have been diverted for other purposes.
Sturgeon's spokesperson confirmed that she voluntarily attended an interview with Police Scotland, where she was arrested and questioned. Sturgeon has consistently expressed her willingness to cooperate with the investigation.
Police Scotland stated on Twitter that a 52-year-old woman, identified as a suspect in the SNP funding and finances inquiry, is currently in custody and undergoing questioning. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, further details were not provided.
The arrest of Sturgeon, who recently stepped down from her position, is a significant setback for the SNP, a party that advocates for Scotland's independence from England and has been at the forefront of Scottish politics for many years.
The SNP released a statement emphasizing their full cooperation with the police investigation and refrained from publicly addressing the matter while the inquiry is ongoing.
This arrest follows the earlier arrests of Sturgeon's husband, Peter Murrell, and the party's former treasurer in April. Both individuals were subsequently released without charge, pending further investigation related to the same inquiry. The police had conducted a thorough search of Sturgeon and Murrell's residence in Glasgow during that time.
Sturgeon, who held the position of Scotland's longest-serving leader in its semi-autonomous government, surprised the political landscape when she announced her resignation in February. Citing concerns about becoming too divisive to lead the country towards independence, she decided to step down from her leadership role. Photo by Scottish Government, Wikimedia commons.