Former Scottish independence leader Nicola Sturgeon, who resigned as Prime Minister in February, was arrested on Sunday in connection with an investigation into funding for her political party, the SNP, British media reported. “A 52-year-old woman was arrested today, Sunday 11 June 2023, as a suspect in the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party,” Police Scotland said. According to British media, including the BBC and the PA Agency, it is Nicola Sturgeon. “The woman has been taken into custody and is being questioned by Scottish Police,” he added.
According to the PA news agency, several properties were searched, including the home of Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, where a police tent was set up in the garden, and the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.
Use of donations of £600,000
In early April, Peter Murrell, who was director general of the SNP until mid-March, was arrested as part of those investigations before being released the same evening without prosecution. A few days later, SNP Treasurer Colin Beattie was arrested. He was also released without charges being brought against him.
The investigation then focused in particular on the use of the £600,000 (€683,000) raised in recent years to organize a new independence referendum, a project deadlocked by rejection from London. The media also raised questions about a loan he allegedly paid the party.