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| Colin Beattie: Police arrest SNP treasurer in finance probe | Colin Beattie: Police arrest SNP treasurer in finance probe |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Mr Beattie was reappointed as the SNP's treasurer in 2021 after previously having held the role for 16 years | |
| SNP treasurer Colin Beattie has been arrested by police investigating the party's finances. | SNP treasurer Colin Beattie has been arrested by police investigating the party's finances. |
| Mr Beattie, 71, has been taken into custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. | Mr Beattie, 71, has been taken into custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. |
| A spokesman for the force said the arrest was made in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the SNP. | A spokesman for the force said the arrest was made in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the SNP. |
| He said a report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. | He said a report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. |
| Mr Beattie is the MSP for the Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency. | |
| He served as the SNP's treasurer for 16 years before being defeated in an internal election by Douglas Chapman in 2020, but returned to the role when Mr Chapman resigned a year later. | |
| Mr Chapman quit after saying he had "not received the support or financial information" that was needed to carry out his duties as treasurer. | |
| It comes two weeks after Peter Murrell, the SNP's former chief executive who is married to Nicola Sturgeon, was also arrested by officers who searched his home in Glasgow and the party's headquarters in Edinburgh. | It comes two weeks after Peter Murrell, the SNP's former chief executive who is married to Nicola Sturgeon, was also arrested by officers who searched his home in Glasgow and the party's headquarters in Edinburgh. |
| A luxury motorhome was also seized by officers from outside a property in Dunfermline. | |
| Police spent two days searching the home of Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell earlier this month | |
| The Mail on Sunday reported that the vehicle had been parked outside the home of Peter Murrell's 92-year-old mother since January 2021. | |
| Mr Murrell was later released without charge pending further investigation. | |
| Police Scotland launched a formal investigation into the SNP's finances in July 2021 after receiving complaints about how donations were used. | Police Scotland launched a formal investigation into the SNP's finances in July 2021 after receiving complaints about how donations were used. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. | 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 SNP had repaid about half of the money by October of that year. | The SNP had repaid about half of the money by October of that year. |
| Nicola Sturgeon told the SNP's ruling body in 2021 that the party's finances had "never been stronger" | |
| Nicola Sturgeon told the SNP's ruling body in 2021 that the party's finances had "never been stronger" | |
| On Sunday, leaked video footage emerged that showed Ms Sturgeon - the former SNP leader and first minister - playing down fears about the party's finances. | |
| The footage, published by the Sunday Mail, is said to be from a virtual meeting of the party's ruling body in March 2021. | |
| Ms Sturgeon told National Executive Committee (NEC) members the party's finances had never been stronger and warned of the impact of going public with concerns. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| SNP (Scottish National Party) | SNP (Scottish National Party) |