Nicola Sturgeon will not face charges in the ongoing investigation into the Scottish National Party’s finances, Police Scotland has confirmed.
The announcement comes as her husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, appeared in court facing an embezzlement charge.
Murrell was charged on Wednesday and made no plea during a private hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. He was granted bail. The case is part of a long-running investigation into the handling of SNP funds, particularly £660,000 in donations meant for the party’s independence campaign.
Former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie has also been cleared, with Police Scotland confirming that inquiries into both him and Sturgeon have concluded. The force stated that neither had been charged, and they were no longer under investigation.
The investigation, known as Operation Branchform, has lasted over two years. In April 2023, Murrell was arrested and later released without charge. A month later, Sturgeon was also arrested and released. Meanwhile, Beattie was taken into custody in April last year but was not charged.
Murrell resigned as SNP chief executive in March 2023 after admitting to misleading the media about party membership numbers. His resignation came just weeks before police searched his home, which he shared with Sturgeon, as well as SNP headquarters in Edinburgh. Officers also confiscated a luxury motorhome parked at his mother’s home in Fife.
The investigation has placed intense scrutiny on the SNP’s finances and leadership. While Sturgeon has now been cleared, Murrell remains at the center of legal proceedings. The case is expected to continue as prosecutors review the evidence.