• Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon was arrested and questioned for seven hours on Sunday (today)

  • Police were investigating the finance of the governing pro-independence Scottish national party

  • She was "released without charge pending further investigation"

  • This was apart of Police Scotland's ongoing Operation Branchform inquiry

    • Titles for police Scotland investigations are picked at random and therefore do not mean anything 

• Scottish police opened an investigation in 2021 on how 660k pounds that was designated for a Scottish independence campaign for a second referendum was spent

  • A first referendum was held in 2014 with 55% voting against independence to 45% for

• Two former SNP officials were previously arrested, questioned and were released without charge

  • Colin Beattie - treasurer

  • Peter Murrell - chief executive and sturgeon's husband

• Police searched Sturgeon's home in Glasgow after her husband's arrest in April

  • SNP head quarters was also searched

• Sturgeon unexpectedly resigned in February after eight years as SNP leader and first minister of Scotland

PC: AP