Scotland’s ex-leader Nicola Sturgeon arrested in finance probe
Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with a police investigation into funding for the Scottish National Party.
Former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon was arrested as part of an investigation into Scottish National Party (SNP) financial irregularities. She was later released without charge pending further investigation.
Sunday was the third arrest in the investigation, which is sending shockwaves through Scotland’s political system. Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell, the former CEO of the SNP, was arrested in April as part of the investigation.
“A 52-year-old woman was today … arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party,” Scotland Police said in a statement.
A Sturgeon spokesperson said she was cooperating with the investigation and had attended the interview with Police Scotland as agreed.
“To find myself in the situation I did today – when I am certain I have committed no offense – is both a shock and deeply distressing … I would never do anything to harm the SNP or the country to bring,” Sturgeon said in a posted statement. on Twitter.
“Given the nature of this process, I cannot go into details. I do want to say this though… I know beyond any doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing.
Scotland Police said she was arrested at 10:09 am (09:09 GMT) and released without charge at 5:24 pm pending further inquiries. “As the investigation is ongoing, we cannot comment further,” police said.
Financing transparency
Murrell has long faced questions over the alleged diversion of 600,000 British pounds ($754,000) in SNP donations intended to support his push for Scottish independence.
He also failed to declare a personal loan to the SNP of more than £100,000 ($125,700), which could be in breach of political funding transparency laws. He was later released without charge pending further investigation.
Party treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested in April and later released.
Sturgeon made her last appearance as First Minister in the Scottish Parliament in March, after announcing her intention to retire a month earlier.
‘I am a human’
Sturgeon’s arrest is deeply embarrassing for the SNP, which is campaigning to end Scotland’s three-century political union with England.
“These issues are subject to a live police investigation. The SNP has fully cooperated with this investigation and will continue to do so, but it is not appropriate to publicly address issues while that investigation is ongoing,” said an SNP spokesman.
At the time of Murrell’s arrest, police conducted a lengthy search of the couple’s Glasgow home, which had been sealed with blue and white police tape.
Sturgeon, Scotland’s longest-serving leader of its semi-autonomous government, surprised the political world when she announced her resignation in February, saying she had become too divided to lead her country to independence.
Acknowledging the office’s tensions, Sturgeon said on her departure that she felt unable to “give every ounce of energy it takes” to complete the high-pressure job.
“I am both a human being and a politician,” she said.