13 June 2023 , 14:43
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Scottish National Party MSPs have agreed to send beleaguered Nicola Sturgeon flowers after she was arrested.
The former First Minister, 52, was quizzed for seven hours on Sunday by police investigating the party’s finances under her leadership.
She claimed being held in custody left her “shocked and deeply distressed”, as she protested her innocence.
She was released without charge pending further investigations.
The SNP’s depute leader Keith Brown reportedly revealed the nationalist group at Holyrood decided to order flowers to bring their ex-premier comfort.
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SNP depute leader Keith Brown (PA)He also defended Ms Sturgeon's successor Humza Yousaf for resisting calls to suspend her from the party.
"I think it's in the interest of natural justice, which is the principle which Humza, the First Minister, is following,” said Mr Brown.
Meanwhile, Mr Yousaf claimed Ms Sturgeon - who quit in March after nine years at the SNP helm - is Europe's "most impressive" politician.
He insisted: "Nicola Sturgeon is the most impressive politician I think we have seen in Europe, she is an asset to our movement, and to our party.
Humza Yousaf hailed Ms Sturgeon as Europe's most impressive politician (Getty Images)"It's obviously a difficult time, it's a very very difficult time for her and a difficult time for our party and personally painful to many of us."
Defending why he snubbed calls to suspend his predecessor, he said: "The reason I am doing it is because I believe in natural justice, I believe in due process.
“She was released, of course, without charge."
Former SNP leadership contender Ash Regan and MP Angus MacNeil, both of whom were critics of Ms Sturgeon, were among those who have suggested she should be suspended.
Former SNP leadership hopeful Ash Regan (Getty Images)Ms Regan said: "I think that the leadership and Humza need to really think about taking decisive action at the moment.”
She said the probe into the party's finances could be a "distraction", adding: "I think that Nicola should perhaps consider voluntarily resigning her SNP membership until this can be cleared up.”
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She added: “I think she no doubt will be considering whether she should resign from the party at the moment."
SNP MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, covering the Western Isles, Angus MacNeil, tweeted: "This soap opera has gone far enough; Nicola Sturgeon suspended others from the SNP for an awful lot less.
"Time for political distance until the investigation ends either way."
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