Nicola Sturgeon and Colin Beattie have both cleared the SNP's internal vetting procedures to stand as election candidates, despite being questioned as part of the ongoing police investigation, Operation Branchform. Sturgeon has yet to confirm her candidacy for 2026, while Beattie is expected to run. Both were arrested and questioned by detectives in 2023 but released without charge. John Swinney expressed confidence in the party's vetting procedures.
Nicola Sturgeon and Colin Beattie have both passed the SNP 's internal vetting procedures to run as election candidates despite both being questioned as part of Operation Branchform .
Both were arrested and questioned by detectives for several hours in 2023 before being released without charge, pending further inquiries."These are decisions that the party has taken through its due democratic processes, and I’m comfortable with all of those decisions,” he said after a speech in Glasgow.
Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, was arrested and charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the SNP in April last year.Police Scotland presented the findings of its investigations into SNP finances to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in August. The force has repeatedly said it is now awaiting instructions on how to proceed.
The police probe was initially focused on how cash raised in 2017 and 2019 as part of a referendum appeal was spent.
Scottish Politics SNP Operation Branchform Vetting Election
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