Husband of a Scottish ex-premier is detained

Peter Murrell, the husband of former Scottish prime minister Nicola Sturgeon, was arrested and questioned on Wednesday in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party. Police reportedly searched the SNP’s Edinburgh headquarters and several other addresses as well as Murrell and Sturgeon’s Glasgow residence, setting up a large evidence tent over the front of the house and garden. The probe arose from complaints about the SNP’s handling of over £600,000 in donations solicited to campaign for and hold a second independence referendum. While the promised referendum has been repeatedly postponed, the money has allegedly been spent already - on daily expenses, leaving the party with a deficit of £752,000 and £145,000 in cash for 2021. Sturgeon stepped down as head of the SNP in February after eight years in the position, citing mental and physical exhaustion.

Last year, Murrell was discovered to have loaned the party more than £100,000 to assist with “cash flow” problems following the last election. Sturgeon also loaned the SNP £107,620 in June 2021, half of which was repaid by October of that year. Sturgeon stepped down as head of the SNP in February after eight years in the position, citing mental and physical exhaustion. Murrell resigned from the party last month after admitting to misleading the public about a decline in its membership numbers. SNP first minister Humza Youssef described the news of Murrell’s arrest as “challenging” and “difficult,” pledging the party’s ongoing cooperation and pointing out that it had committed to a review on governance and transparency. The SNP has denied all wrongdoing.