Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, was arrested by police investigating the Scottish National party’s finances in what the new leader, Humza Yousaf, described as “a difficult day” for the SNP.
Police Scotland said Murrell, the party’s former chief executive, had been “arrested as a suspect” and taken in for questioning “in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National party”.
He was later released without charge “pending further investigation” after being held for nearly 12 hours. The force said a report was being prepared for the Crown Office, the country’s prosecution service.
Detectives mounted searches of the Glasgow home owned by Murrell and Sturgeon and the party’s headquarters in Edinburgh. The police erected a large tent over the front door of their semi-detached home, where the curtains remained drawn, and searched their garden, with the pavement outside cordoned off by police.
The SNP has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing during the months-long police inquiry.
Yousaf, who succeeded Sturgeon as party leader 10 days ago and was widely seen as her favoured successor, said: “The news this morning, it’s challenging and it’s difficult.”
He added: “I obviously can’t comment on a live police investigation. But what I will say is that the SNP has fully cooperated with the investigation and it will continue to do so.”
Questions have been asked about whether Police Scotland delayed the arrest of Murrell until after the SNP leadership race had finished.
The former health secretary Alex Neil, who served in Sturgeon’s first cabinet, said police must “make it clear if they were asked in any way to delay this arrest”, adding: “They should be totally open and honest and let us know if in any way they changed the timing of this arrest because of the SNP leadership election.”
Scottish Labour also called on the SNP to “urgently state what they knew and when”.
A spokesperson for Sturgeon said she had “no prior knowledge” of the police action, adding: “Ms Sturgeon will fully cooperate with Police Scotland if required, however at this time no such request has been made.”
A police spokesperson said nobody was “notified in advance”.
The investigation was launched after complaints about the SNP’s handling of more than £600,000 in donations raised by the party ostensibly to campaign for and hold a second independence referendum.
It is alleged the money was used instead to help with the party’s day-to-day running costs. Its accounts for 2021 showed it had a deficit of £752,000 and £145,000 in cash. The party stated all the donations were “earmarked” for independence-related campaigning.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, the police said: “A 58-year-old man who was arrested as a suspect earlier today, Wednesday, 5 April 2023, in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National party, has been released without charge pending further investigation.
“Officers also carried out searches today at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
“As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.”
Yousaf said he did not believe the police investigation contributed to Sturgeon’s decision to quit in February after eight years as party leader, when she cited the significant physical and mental impact on her of leading the country through the Covid crisis and the relentless demands of being first minister.
She had refused to respond directly to a question after her resignation statement about whether the police inquiry had also been a factor, but Yousaf said he did not believe it was contributory.
“I believe her very much when she says how exhausted she was,” he told the PA Media news agency. “I think anybody who watched her over the course of the pandemic during those daily briefings, day after day, I think anybody could understand how exhausting that is.
“So, no, I don’t think [the inquiry] is the reason why Nicola Sturgeon stood down.”
Earlier in the day, the SNP said it had been “cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so”. At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the national executive committee, agreed to a review of governance and transparency – that will be taken forward in the coming weeks.”
Jackie Baillie, the Scottish Labour party’s deputy leader, 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. We need Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon to urgently state what they knew and when.”
Donald Cameron, the Scottish Conservatives’ shadow constitution secretary, said: “It is right that due process is followed and any potential wrongdoing investigated thoroughly by the police.”
Under the direction of Murrell and Sturgeon, the SNP won a reputation for discipline and effectiveness. After Sturgeon unexpectedly resigned in mid-February, Murrell came under heavy pressure from leadership candidates to disclose the size of the party’s membership.
The party repeatedly denied media reports that its membership had fallen by 30% over the last year, but 11 days before the contest ended, it admitted the party had 72,000 members compared with 104,000 in December 2021.
