Peter Murrell, the husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, has been re-arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Scottish National Party's finances.

Murrell, aged 59, was previously arrested as a suspect on April 5, 2023, before being released without charge. He was taken into custody at 09:13 on Thursday and is currently being questioned by Police Scotland detectives.

Murrell resigned from his position as the party's chief executive in March 2023. His previous arrest was part of Operation Branchform, Police Scotland's investigation into the funding and finances of the SNP.

Legally, Murrell can be held by police for up to 12 hours for questioning. Police Scotland launched a formal investigation into the SNP's finances in July 2021 following complaints about the use of donations, particularly in relation to funds earmarked for a fresh independence referendum campaign.

The re-arrest of Murrell has been deemed "an extremely serious development" by Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy, who urged cooperation from former and current SNP staff and politicians. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie described the news as "incredibly concerning," emphasizing the importance of allowing Police Scotland to proceed with the investigation without interference.

When Murrell was arrested last year, police searched his residence in Glasgow, which he shares with Sturgeon, as well as the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh. The investigation also involved the seizure of a camper van from outside Murrell's mother's home in Fife.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) provided advice to Police Scotland last year, and the investigation has been ongoing since then. As of now, the Crown has not received a standard prosecution report from the police, and the investigation remains active. Police Scotland has advised the public to exercise caution when discussing the matter on social media due to its ongoing status. Photo by Scottish Government, Wikimedia commons.