SNP – latest news: Humza Yousaf insists party not going bankrupt as Westminster makes threat

Senior members of the SNP fear that former leader Nicola Sturgeon could be the next figure to be arrested in the Police Scotland investigation into the party’s finances.

The SNP has been rocked by the arrest of former chief executive Peter Murrell and current treasurer Colin Beattie, both of whom were later released without charge pending further enquiries.

One senior SNP figure told The Independent it was likely that Ms Sturgeon would also be arrested, given that she is one of the three names believed to be on party accounts.

The leader of the SNP, Humza Yousaf, who was recently elected to replace Ms Sturgeon, is facing calls to suspend the former leader’s membership of the party along with that of her husband and Mr Beattie.

A SNP politician told The Times: “Nicola must be next to be interviewed, it’s inevitable,” with another saying: “It’s obvious there’s a list and Nicola’s name is on it.”

A third told the newspaper: “They’ve interviewed witnesses, and now they are onto suspects. It was the small fry, and now it’s the big people – it’s the way the police work.”

Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf has assumed the role of overseeing SNP finances after Colin Beattie resigned as treasurer following his arrest.

Mr Beattie was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a police investigation into the party’s finances and later released without charge “pending further investigation”.

The party leader is now required to take on the role – but told the BBC he hoped someone would be appointed to the job in the coming days.

“We’ll appoint a treasurer in the coming days, but of course, as party leader, I’ll make sure I’m overseeing the finances of the party. But we’ll appoint a new national treasurer as soon as we can,” he said.

The post is usually one elected by members, but Mr Yousaf said the party was “not going to have time” to elect someone to the role and ruled out continuing in the job alongside being party leader and first minister.

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has been seen in public for the first time since his arrest.

Nicola Sturgeon’s husband was detained earlier this month and questioned by detectives for 11 hours before being released without charge “pending further investigation”.

Police investigating the party’s finances also arrested the then SNP treasurer Colin Beattie on Tuesday, who was later released without charge, while a motorhome which was intended to be used for party campaigning was seized from the driveway of Mr Murrell’s mother.

Mr Murrell was spotted by the PA news agency leaving the home he shares with ex-first minister Ms Sturgeon near Glasgow on Thursday morning.

A senior Labour MP has apologised after calling Scotland’s first minister Humza Yousaf “Mohammed” during a live TV interview (Emily Atkinson writes).

Shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland Peter Kyle made the mistake during an appearance on Sky News today, while championing Scottish Labour as a “credible alternative” to the Scottish National Party, led by Mr Yousaf.

The newly-minted first minister succeeded Nicola Sturgeon following her sudden resignation in March. Mr Yousaf took the helm just days before Ms Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, was arrested in connection with the police probe into the SNP’s finances.

Mr Kyle’s gaffe occurred during an interview with Sky News’s Niall Paterson, who asked the MP for Hove whether Mr Yousaf should suspend Ms Sturgeon from the party.

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SNP treasurer Colin Beattie has quit a day after being questioned by police investigating the party’s finances, as senior figures fear Nicola Sturgeon could be the next to be arrested (Archie Mitchell writes).

The MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh was taken into custody by Police Scotland on Tuesday for questioning and released without charge.

And on Wednesday Mr Beattie said he was stepping down as party treasurer “with immediate effect” and also giving up his role on the Scottish parliament’s public audit committee.

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Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf is fielding questions from MSPs at Holyrood now.

First up is Douglas Ross, Scottish Tory leader.

Humza Yousaf responds to a request from the Scottish Tory leader to make a statement regarding the financial storm surrounding the SNP.

The first minister said he understands he has to address these issues.

“I’m not going to shy away from that,” he said.

He went on: "What I'm doing, what we collectively as the government are doing, is focusing on the day job."

Meanwhile in Westminster, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt has accused the SNP of “poor stewardship” of public money.

Responding to shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire, she said: “(Ms Debbonaire) raises the matter of the SNP and short money. And although we all enjoy a joke at the SNP’s expense, these are really serious matters.

“I shan’t comment on her suggestion about people being suspended under police investigation, to save her blushes, it might have included the Leader of the Opposition (Sir Keir Starmer) who has been in that camp before.

“But these matters are not a matter for me. But I understand that unless the SNP have audited accounts by March 31 they will lose their short money after the April payment.

“I understand also that Ipsa may also have considerations to make. I think the SNP’s membership will feel rightly let down by this, similar to how the rest of Scotland will feel with the SNP’s poor stewardship of public money.”

Andrew Grice offers his take on the shocking movements at the top of Scottish politics:

The “fresh start for Scotland” promised by Humza Yousaf when he set out his agenda as the country’s first minister turned into an episode of The Thick of It, farcically overshadowed by the arrest of Colin Beattie, the SNP treasurer.

“Of course I’m surprised that one of my colleagues has been arrested,” Yousaf unwisely told a scrum of reporters. Malcolm Tucker would have exploded.

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Labour has suggested members of the Scottish Parliament who are under police investigation should be suspended amid inquiries into SNP finances.

Shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire referenced the police investigation into the SNP’s finances in the Commons, saying First Minister Humza Yousaf should suspend MSPs who are the subject of police inquiries.

She also raised questions about the party’s auditors.

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