Former Scottish independence leader Nicola Sturgeon, who resigned as Prime Minister in February, was arrested on Sunday June 11 as part of an investigation into the funding of her political party, the Scottish National Party (SNP ), announced British media, including the BBC and the PA agency.
“A 52-year-old woman was arrested today, Sunday June 11, 2023, as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party”Police Scotland said. “The woman has been taken into custody and is being questioned by Scottish police », adds this one. It is, according to the British media, Nicola Sturgeon.
Update on investigation into Scottish National Party funding and finances. More: https://t.co/0zR05TnK4o https://t.co/WNA9OTJX3Q
Donations over £600,000
Searches were carried out in several properties, in particular at the home of Mme Sturgeon and her husband, Peter Murrell, where a police tent has been erected in the garden, and at the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh, according to the PA news agency. At the beginning of April, Mr. Murrell, who was until mid-March director general of the SNP, was arrested as part of this investigation, before being released the same evening without prosecution. A few days later, the treasurer of the SNP, Colin Beattie, was arrested. He was also released without charges being brought against him.
The investigations then focused in particular on the use of donations of 600,000 pounds sterling (683,000 euros) collected in recent years with a view to organizing a new independence referendum, a project at an impasse in the face of rejection from London. The media also raised questions about a loan he would have paid to the party.