Nicola Sturgeon cleared in SNP police investigation as ex-husband appears in court
Peter Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive, has been charged with embezzlement
Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been cleared in a police investigation into the SNP’s finances, saying there was not a “scrap of evidence” of wrongdoing on her behalf.
Ms Sturgeon and former party treasurer Colin Beattie were both arrested in 2023 but released pending further investigation in the probe – named Operation Branchform by Police Scotland.
Both are no longer under investigation, police said.
The news comes after Ms Sturgeon’s estranged husband and former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell appeared in court charged with embezzlement.
Speaking to journalists outside her home near Glasgow, she said she is “relieved” to have been cleared, and admitted the past two years have been “difficult” and “frustrating”.
She said: “As first minister of this country for the best part of a decade, I have utmost respect for the police and for the prosecution authorities, and I’m never going to say or do anything to undermine that.
“All I can say is that I have done nothing wrong and I don’t think there was a scrap of evidence that I had done anything wrong.
“And therefore, of course, to have something like this hanging over me for almost two years now has been difficult, it’s been frustrating, and I don’t think I’m saying anything there that people would be surprised to hear.”
Ms Sturgeon added: “I am completely in the clear, that is the outcome I would always have expected.
“As I have said to all of you many times, I have done nothing wrong so I was confident of reaching this point and getting to this outcome.”
In a statement, Police Scotland said: “Following direction from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, criminal inquiries into two people arrested as part of the investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party have now concluded.
“The 73-year-old man arrested on 18 April 2023, and the 54-year-old woman arrested on 11 June 2023, have not been charged and are no longer under investigation.”
Mr Murrell appeared at a private petition hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday.
He made no plea or declaration and was committed for further examination and bailed.
The charge relates to Police Scotland’s long-running Operation Branchform probe into SNP finances.
Mr Murrell is separated from former first minister Ms Sturgeon, who announced earlier this year that the couple have “decided to end” their marriage.
In the months after Ms Sturgeon announced her resignation as first minister in February 2023, Mr Murrell was arrested in relation to Operation Branchform.
He was later rearrested and charged in connection with the alleged embezzlement of party funds.