• Nicola Sturgeon arrested and released without charge, maintaining innocence.
• Police Scotland investigates over £600,000 in SNP donations from independence activists.
• SNP treasurer Colin Beattie arrested and released without charge, resigns from position.

Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Sir Iain Livingstone, has defended the decision to erect a forensic tent in Nicola Sturgeon’s garden, stating that it was both “proportionate and necessary.” The action was taken as part of an ongoing investigation into the finances of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which has moved beyond the initial reports.

In June, Ms. Sturgeon was arrested and questioned for over seven hours but was subsequently released without charge. She maintains her innocence and asserts that she has not engaged in any wrongdoing. The investigation by Police Scotland focuses on the whereabouts of over £600,000 in donations made to the SNP by independence activists since 2021.

During the investigation in April, Peter Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive and husband of Nicola Sturgeon, was arrested by the police. However, he was subsequently released without charge while further investigation takes place.

As part of the operation, a tent was set up in the garden of their Glasgow home, and various items were removed.

Chief Constable Livingstone, speaking on BBC Radio’s Today program, emphasized that if Police Scotland had not conducted their investigations in the manner they did, he would have been accused of neglecting his duty. He clarified that the presence of the tent and other measures were necessary to safeguard the interests of justice and the individuals involved.

During the investigation known as Operation Branchform, police conducted a search at the SNP’s headquarters in Edinburgh in April. In addition, a luxury motorhome worth around £110,000 was seized by the police from outside the residence of Mr. Murrell’s mother in Dunfermline.

Colin Beattie, the SNP treasurer, was arrested almost two weeks later but released without charge, with further inquiries ongoing. Shortly after his release, Mr. Beattie resigned from his position as party treasurer. It is important to note that Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell, and Colin Beattie were the three signatories on the SNP’s accounts.

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