SNP treasurer Colin Beattie has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party, Police Scotland has said.
Colin Beattie, 71, was the SNP national treasurer from 2004 - 2020 and was defeated in the 2020 SNP internal elections by Douglas Chapman.
However when Chapman later resigned in May 2021, stating he "had not received the support or financial information required to carry out the fiduciary duties of national treasurer", Beattie returned to the position.
Before politics
At 14, Beattie joined the SNP and a year later, left school to work as an apprentice in the local bank. He attended intensive night classes for several years, catching up on his missed education.
He was accepted into the international service of a major bank and spent 23 years in the Middle and Far East working in international banking. Subsequently, the Forfar-born banker was head-hunted and spent 11 years working in London in finance.
Beattie then settled in Dalkeith in 2001 with his wife, Lisa.
Political career
Beattie has been the member of the Scottish Parliament for the Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency since 2011. Prior to this role, he was a councillor and group leader of the SNP on Midlothian Council.
He won the newly created seat of Midlothian North and Musselburgh in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election with a majority of just under 3000 votes.
He retained his seat in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, with a majority of over 7000 votes.
He was selected unopposed as the SNP's candidate for the 2021 Scottish Parliament election and retained his seat, with an increased majority of 7906.
Finance Invesitgation
On Saturday 15, The party’s ruling body met and reports came suggesting Beattie issued stark warnings about the SNP’s cash flow, saying it was difficult to balance the books.
He told the SNP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Saturday it is “having difficulty in balancing the books due to the reduction in membership and donors”.
Beattie is the second in relation to the investigation into how more than £600,000 in donations to the party earmarked for an independence referendum had been used.
Earlier this month, former party chief executive Peter Murrell was arrested and questioned for more than 11 hours before being released without charge “pending further investigation”. Murrell is the husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Police said a report will be submitted to the Crown Office.
