A deep dive into the ongoing police investigation into the Scottish National Party's (SNP) handling of donations for the second independence referendum.
Operation Branchform , initiated by Police Scotland in 2021, stems from complaints regarding the Scottish National Party's ( SNP ) management of donations for the second independence referendum (indyref2). The police investigation is ongoing, and senior SNP members are eager for a resolution to a case they believe has tarnished the party's image. The probe focuses on approximately £600,000 raised by the SNP from pro-independence supporters between 2017 and the present.
Concerns arose as these funds were not reflected in the party's financial records. Complaints led to the police investigation, now in its fifth year.Significant developments include the arrests and releases of key figures without charges. These include Nicola Sturgeon, the former SNP leader and her husband Peter Murrell, who served as party chief executive. Colin Beattie, the former SNP treasurer, was also arrested and released without charge in 2023. Notably, Murrell, who held the CEO position for over two decades before resigning in 2023, was subsequently charged with embezzlement. Adding to the intrigue, a luxury campervan, reportedly valued at £110,000, was seized by police investigating the SNP's finances. It was allegedly taken from a house in Fife during a simultaneous police search of Sturgeon and Murrell's residence. Police Scotland has invested around £2 million in Operation Branchform and completed its inquiries in August 2022. A report was submitted to the Crown Office, awaiting further instructions. Eleven officers continue to work on the investigation. Sturgeon, while maintaining her innocence and stressing her lack of control over the situation, remains an MSP in Glasgow and shares a home with Murrell despite their separation. She expressed a desire for the matter to conclude while emphasizing her focus on her life and work.This protracted investigation has sparked calls for resolution from senior Nationalists. Former SNP MP Tommy Sheppard highlighted the corrosive impact of the ongoing probe on Scottish politics, emphasizing the need for a definitive conclusion.
SNP Operation Branchform Scottish Politics Indyref2 Donations Police Investigation
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