Today marks one year since police arrested Nicola Sturgeon’s husband and searched the couple’s home as part of an ongoing probe into the SNP’s funding and finances.
Peter Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive, was arrested and released without charge on 5 April 2023.
Almost two weeks later, ex-party treasurer MSP Colin Beattie was arrested and released.
And then on 11 June 2023, all eyes were on Scotland when former first minister and SNP leader Ms Sturgeon was also arrested and released without charge as part of the probe.
The police inquiry – dubbed Operation Branchform – has been ongoing since July 2021.
On Thursday when asked for an update, Police Scotland told Sky News it was “unable to comment” as the investigation remains ongoing.
The SNP previously said it was “cooperating fully” with the probe and would continue to do so. A spokesperson said: “In the last year the first minister has been focused on the priorities of people across Scotland – including delivering a national council tax freeze to support households with Westminster’s cost of living crisis and game-changing policies which are estimated to lift 100,000 children out of poverty.
“While the Westminster parties fail to offer anything other than more of the same broken Brexit Britain, the SNP is the only party providing hope for a better future for Scotland with independence.”
Here is what we know so far:
May 2021: Douglas Chapman MP resigns as SNP treasurer, claiming he had not been given enough information to do his job. Joanna Cherry, a vocal internal critic of the party’s leadership, also resigns from her role on the ruling National Executive Committee (NEC).
July 2021: Police Scotland launches Operation Branchform into the SNP’s funding and finances. The long-running inquiry is linked to the spending of around £600,000 raised by supporters to be earmarked…
