Nicola Sturgeon issues statement minutes after arrest in SNP police probe
Nicola Sturgeon has issued a statement shortly after being arrested during a police investigation into the SNP's finances.
Scotland's longest-serving First Minister, who stepped down in March, is in custody and is being questioned by detectives.
Police Scotland said: "A 52-year-old woman has today, Sunday, June 11, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party."
Officers are probing the spending of around £600,000 earmarked for independence campaigning, as part of Operation Branchform.
Following her arrest, a spokeswoman for Ms Sturgeon said: "Nicola Sturgeon has today, Sunday June 11, by arrangement with Police Scotland, attended an interview where she was to be arrested and questioned in relation to Operation Branchform.
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The former First Minister is being interviewed by Police Scotland (PA)"Nicola has consistently said she would cooperate with the investigation if asked and continues to do so."
Her arrest comes after her husband Peter Murrell was arrested in April.
Mr Murrell and MSP Colin Beattie, who was SNP treasurer at the time, were both released without charge pending further inquiry.
As well as the arrests, searches were carried out at a number of properties, including Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon's home - where a police tent was erected in the garden - and SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.
The investigation - dubbed Operation Branchform - began in 2021.
The news will pile further misery on Ms Sturgeon's successor Humza Yousaf, who is battling to turn around his party's fortunes amid a deepening crisis.
Shadow Scotland Secretary Ian Murray said: "This is a deeply concerning development and the Police Scotland investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference.
"For too long, a culture of secrecy and cover-up has been allowed to fester at the heart of the SNP.
"The same culture that leads to police tents in front gardens created the deeply dysfunctional government that is currently failing Scots.
"Humza Yousaf must urgently come clean on what he knows - the people of Scotland deserve answers."
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