Former Scottish independence leader Nicola Sturgeon, who resigned as prime minister in February, was arrested on Sunday as part of an investigation into her political party’s finances, the SNP, British police and media said, quoted by AFP.

The arrest was another blow to the Scottish National Party, the SNP, which has been weakened by the sudden departure of its charismatic leader, who had been in power for eight years.

“A 52-year-old woman has been arrested today, Sunday 11 June 2023, as a suspect in an ongoing investigation into funding and financing of the Scottish National Party,” Police Scotland said. According to the British media, including the BBC and the PA agency, the suspect is Nicola Sturgeon.

“The woman has been taken into custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland,” Police Scotland said.

According to press secretary Nicola Sturgeon, quoted by PA, the former leader voluntarily appeared for an interview with the police, “during which she was to be arrested and questioned.” “Nikola always said that she would cooperate with the investigation (…) and continues to do so,” the spokeswoman continued.

Searches were carried out at several properties, including the home of Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, where a police tent was set up in the garden, and the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh, the PA reported.

In early April, Peter Murrell, who was chief executive of the SNP until mid-March before resigning, was arrested as part of an investigation into the party’s finances before being released without charge the same evening.

SNP Treasurer Colin Beattie was arrested a few days later. He was also released without charge.

He led the struggle for independence

The investigation, which opened in 2021, focused in particular on the use of £600,000 (€683,000) in donations raised in recent years to hold a new independence referendum, a project that stalled after London refused. At that time, the media also raised questions about the debt he allegedly gave to the party.

After eight years at the helm of Scotland and a total of 15 years in senior local executive roles, Nicola Sturgeon surprisingly announced her resignation in mid-February, saying she was running out of energy. During all these years in power, she resolutely fought for independence.