Peter Murrell, the husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, has been charged with embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.
Murrell was arrested on Thursday and questioned by Police Scotland detectives. He was previously arrested as a suspect on 5 April 2023 before being released without charge.
The investigation was part of Operation Branchform, which aimed to investigate the party’s funding and finances. Murrell resigned as the SNP’s chief executive in March 2021 after 22 years in the job.
Police Scotland launched a formal investigation into the SNP’s finances in July 2021 after receiving complaints about how donations were used.
The probe involved searches of Murrell’s house and the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh. A camper van was seized by police, and Colin Beattie, SNP treasurer and MSP, was arrested and interviewed by police.
Sturgeon, who unexpectedly announced her resignation as SNP leader and first minister in February 2023, was arrested on 11 June and released without charge.
The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public is advised to exercise caution when discussing it on social media.
