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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell arrested in SNP finance probe | Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell arrested in SNP finance probe |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Mr Murrell has been married to Nicola Sturgeon since 2010 | Mr Murrell has been married to Nicola Sturgeon since 2010 |
| The husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with an investigation into Scottish National Party finances. | The husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with an investigation into Scottish National Party finances. |
| Peter Murrell, 58, is being questioned after being taken into police custody on Wednesday morning. | Peter Murrell, 58, is being questioned after being taken into police custody on Wednesday morning. |
| Police Scotland said officers were carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. | Police Scotland said officers were carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. |
| Mr Murrell resigned as the party's chief executive last month, a post he had held since 1999. | Mr Murrell resigned as the party's chief executive last month, a post he had held since 1999. |
| He has been married to Ms Sturgeon since 2010. | He has been married to Ms Sturgeon since 2010. |
| Several police vehicles were seen parked outside the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh | Several police vehicles were seen parked outside the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh |
| Several police vehicles were seen parked outside the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh | Several police vehicles were seen parked outside the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh |
| Ms Sturgeon stood down as first minister last month and was last week succeeded by Humza Yousaf. | Ms Sturgeon stood down as first minister last month and was last week succeeded by Humza Yousaf. |
| There is currently police activity at the couple's home in Glasgow and at SNP headquarters in Edinburgh. | There is currently police activity at the couple's home in Glasgow and at SNP headquarters in Edinburgh. |
| There are 10 uniformed officers stationed outside the former first minister's home, alongside one police vehicle and an incident tent in the front garden. | There are 10 uniformed officers stationed outside the former first minister's home, alongside one police vehicle and an incident tent in the front garden. |
| The curtains and blinds remained drawn and there was no sign of anyone in the property. | The curtains and blinds remained drawn and there was no sign of anyone in the property. |
| Meanwhile, two police officers were posted outside SNP HQ and there were other officers inside. | Meanwhile, two police officers were posted outside SNP HQ and there were other officers inside. |
| At least six marked police vehicles were parked outside the building. | At least six marked police vehicles were parked outside the building. |
| Police activity has been seen outside Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon's home in Glasgow. | |
| Police activity has been seen outside Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon's home in Glasgow. | |
| In July 2021 Police Scotland launched a formal investigation into the SNP's finances after receiving complaints about how donations were used. | |
| Questions had been raised about funds given to the party for use in a fresh independence referendum campaign. | |
| Seven people made complaints and a probe was set up following talks with prosecutors. | |
| Ms Sturgeon, then first minister and SNP leader, had insisted that she was "not concerned" about the party's finances. | |
| She said "every penny" of cash raised in online crowdfunding campaigns would be spent on the independence drive. | |
| According to a statement, the SNP raised a total of £666,953 through referendum-related appeals between 2017 and 2020. The party pledged to spend these funds on the independence campaign. | |
| Nicola Sturgeon gave multiple reasons for her resignation - but the police investigation into her party's finances was not one of them. | |
| When I asked her about it on the day she stood down she declined to comment, but would later insist it had not been a factor. | |
| I still wonder if it may have influenced the timing of her departure because her husband's arrest would be much more awkward for her if she was still in office as SNP leader and first minister. | |
| Police inquiries have been under way for about 18 months and were triggered when questions were raised about how more than £600,000 raised for independence campaigning had been spent, when there had not been an independence referendum for it to be spent on. | |
| The SNP has previously said that it always intended to spend an equivalent sum in that way. | |
| Some weeks ago, the investigation reached a crucial stage when officers consulted the Crown Office on how to proceed. It is now much clearer what direction they received from those who direct criminal investigations in Scotland. | |
| Questions were raised after its accounts showed it had just under £97,000 in the bank at the end of 2019, and total net assets of about £272,000. | |
| Last year it emerged Mr Murrell gave a loan of more than £100,000 to the SNP to help it out with a "cash flow" issue after the last election. | |
| The then SNP's chief executive loaned the party £107,620 in June 2021. The SNP had repaid about half of the money by October of that year. | |
| At the time an SNP spokesman said the loan was a "personal contribution made by the chief executive to assist with cash flow after the Holyrood election". | |
| He said it had been reported in the party's 2021 accounts, which were published by the Electoral Commission in August last year. | |
| Weeks earlier, MP Douglas Chapman had resigned as party treasurer saying he had not been given the "financial information" to do the job. | |
| Police activity outside Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon's home | |
| Mr Murrell resigned last month after taking responsibility for misleading statements about a fall in party membership. | |
| The number of members had fallen from the 104,000 it had two years ago to just over 72,000. | |
| An SNP spokesperson said: "Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. | An SNP spokesperson said: "Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. |
| "At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency - that will be taken forward in the coming weeks." | "At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency - that will be taken forward in the coming weeks." |
| Scottish Labour's deputy leader Jackie Baillie said it was "a deeply concerning development" and that the police investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference. | |
| Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Donald Cameron said: "Senior SNP politicians, including Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, must cooperate fully with the investigation into this very serious case and commit to openness and transparency." | |
| This is clearly a significant legal story, which means there are strict limits on what we can talk about. | |
| But there is also a major political story here, the latest twist in a tumultuous year in Scotland. | |
| The SNP enjoyed decades of stability under the power couple of Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell. | |
| That has been replaced by utter turmoil within weeks of the duo's resignations as party leader and as chief executive. | |
| This will all be acutely concerning for Humza Yousaf, the new SNP leader, who had been hoping to use the Holyrood recess to get his feet under the table at Bute House. | |
| Instead he is facing a crisis in his party, only a week after he was sworn in as first minister. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Nicola Sturgeon | Nicola Sturgeon |
| SNP (Scottish National Party) | SNP (Scottish National Party) |