Husband of former SNP leader Sturgeon held in funding probe

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The husband of former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested as part of an investigation into the funding of the governing pro-independence Scottish National Party.

Police Scotland said on Wednesday a 58-year-old man had been “arrested as a suspect” and its officers were carrying out searches at a number of addresses linked to the investigation.

Peter Murrell, 58, who stood down as the SNP’s chief executive last month, was taken into police custody on Wednesday morning, according to a party official who asked not to be named.

Police said they were carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. A marked police van was parked outside the couple’s home in Glasgow, which was sealed off with blue and white police tape. A blue tent had also been put up outside.

“The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives,” the force said.

The police investigation is looking at what happened to more than 600,000 pounds ($750,000) raised by Scottish independence campaigners in 2017, which was supposed to have been ring-fenced but may have been used for other purposes.

The party’s accounts published by the Electoral Commission, the independent watchdog, showed that at the end of 2018 the party had about 411,000 pounds in cash or cash equivalents.

The SNP said it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but it has been cooperating with the probe.