Nicola Sturgeon calls arrest a ‘shock and deeply distressing’ after release without charge
Nicola Sturgeon has been released without charge after she was arrested earlier today in connection with an investigation into SNP finances.
Scotland’s former first minister was taken into custody and questioned as a suspect.
After she was released Ms Sturgeon said in a statement: “To find myself in the situation I did today when I am certain I have committed no offence is both a shock and deeply distressing.
“I know that this ongoing investigation is difficult for people, and I am grateful that so many continue to show faith in me and appreciate that I would never do anything to harm either the SNP or the country.
“Obviously, given the nature of this process, I cannot go into detail. However, I do wish to say this, and to do so in the strongest possible terms.
“Innocence is not just a presumption I am entitled to in law. I know beyond doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing.
“To the many people who have sent messages of support over these past difficult weeks – including since today’s news broke – thank you for your kindness.
“Thank you also to my close circle of family and friends who are giving me much-needed strength at this time.
“Finally, while I will take a day or two to process this latest development, I intend to be back in Parliament soon where I will continue to represent my Glasgow Southside constituents to the very best of my ability.”
Politics latest: Former first minister questioned
Upon her release, a Police Scotland statement said: “A 52-year-old woman who was arrested earlier today, Sunday 11 June, 2023, as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party, has been released without charge pending further investigation.
“The woman was questioned by Police Scotland detectives after she was arrested at 10.09am. She was released from custody at 5.24pm.
“A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.”
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Nicola Sturgeon is in custody
Scotland’s former first minister was the latest high-profile figure in the party to be detained as part of Police Scotland’s Operation Branchform into the whereabouts of £600,000 of funding that had been earmarked for a second independence vote.
It is understood there have been complaints the ringfenced cash may have been used improperly by being spent elsewhere.
Her arrest came on the back of the detentions of party treasurer Colin Beattie and former party chief executive Peter Murrell – also Ms Sturgeon’s husband – who were both subsequently released without charge.
Police previously searched the SNP headquarters and Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell’s home as part of the investigation.
At the time of her arrest, a spokesperson for Ms Sturgeon said: “Nicola Sturgeon has today, Sunday 11 June, by arrangement with Police Scotland, attended an interview where she was to be arrested and questioned in relation to Operation Branchform.
“Nicola has consistently said she would co-operate with the investigation if asked and continues to do so.”
A luxury £100,000 motorhome was also seized from outside the home of Mr Murrell’s mother in Dunfermline, Fife.
An SNP spokesperson said: “These issues are subject to a live police investigation.
“The SNP have been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so however it is not appropriate to publicly address any issues while that investigation is ongoing.”
Ms Sturgeon’s arrest will intensify the scandal that has engulfed Scotland’s largest political party just months after she stood down as party leader and first minister in February.
At the time, Ms Sturgeon said she was quitting because the job “takes its toll on you and all around you”.
She said she believed part of “serving well would be to know almost instinctively when the time is right” to step down, adding: “In my head and in my heart I know that time is now, that it is right for me and my party and for the country.”
But months later, Mr Murrell was arrested – creating a sense of turmoil that has overshadowed the new leadership of Humza Yousaf, who was elected to replace Ms Sturgeon in a bitter and divisive leadership race in March.
Mr Yousaf previously said he was unaware the SNP owned a £100,000 motorhome until he became party leader.
He also admitted that he was unaware that the SNP’s longstanding auditors, Johnston Carmichael, had quit in September 2022 following a review of their client portfolio until he became party leader.
The party had been under pressure to find new auditors in order to file its accounts with the Electoral Commission by 7 July or risk being fined.
Last month Mr Yousaf confirmed the SNP had signed a contract with a new auditor more than half a year after the previous firm quit.
Read more:
Arrests, a luxury motorhome and a power couple’s fall: The inside story of SNP police probe
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross criticises SNP ‘secrecy, spin and cover-ups’
SNP MP Joanna Cherry said it was a “sad and difficult day for Scotland and for my party”.
“As I have said before I believe passionately in due process, respecting the integrity of an ongoing investigation and the principle of innocent until proven guilty and I shall not be commenting further,” she tweeted.
Labour’s Shadow Scotland Secretary Ian Murray said the arrest was a “deeply concerning development”.
“The Police Scotland investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference.
“For too long, a culture of secrecy and cover-up has been allowed to fester at the heart of the SNP.
“The same culture that leads to police tents in front gardens created the deeply dysfunctional government that is currently failing Scots.
“Humza Yousaf must urgently come clean on what he knows – the people of Scotland deserve answers.”
World
Zelenskyy’s offer to meet Putin raises the stakes in this already high-stakes game of diplomacy
Diplomacy over Ukraine has become even more of a game of high-stakes poker.
In the early hours of Sunday, Vladimir Putin played his hand, rejecting demands for a ceasefire and proposing direct talks in Istanbul instead.
Read more:
Trump says Ukraine should ‘immediately’ agree to direct talks with Russia
Ukraine ‘ready to meet’ Russia after Putin calls for peace talks
That was in response to the opening gambit made on Saturday by Ukraine and its European allies.
Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron among world leaders in Kyiv. Pic: AP
Britain’s Sir Keir Starmer said they were “calling Putin out”, that if he was really serious about peace, he should agree to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire starting on Monday.
And they thought they had Donald Trump’s backing until he made his move.
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Kremlin: ‘We don’t share Starmer’s view’
Late Sunday, he drove a cart and horses through claims of western unity, coming down on Putin’s side.
Ukraine, he said, should submit to the Russian leader’s suggestion of talks.
“Ukraine should agree to this – immediately”, he posted. Then: “I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin…”
So much for the Coalition of the Willing having Putin where they wanted him.
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Are Putin’s call for peace talks genuine?
Trump let him off the hook.
All eyes were then on President Zelenskyy, who has now in turn dramatically raised the stakes.
He will go to Istanbul, he said, and wait there for Vladimir Putin.
Over to you, Vladimir.
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The fast-paced diplomacy aside, the last twenty-four hours have brought Europe closer to a moment of truth.
They thought they had Donald Trump’s support, and yet even with 30 nations demanding an unconditional ceasefire, the US president seemed, in the end, to side with the Russian leader.
He has helped Putin get out of a hole.
Yet again, Trump could not be counted on to pressure Vladimir Putin to end this war.
If America is no longer a reliable partner over Ukraine, Europe may need to go it alone, whatever the cost.
It has been an extraordinary few hours which may well set the tone for a hugely consequential week ahead.
In the time that it took me to fly from London to Saudi Arabia, where President Donald Trump will begin a pivotal Middle East tour this week, a flurry of news has emerged on a range of key global challenges.
• On the Gaza war: The Trump administration has confirmed it’s holding talks with Hamas, which says it will release a hostage amid renewed hopes of a ceasefire.
• On the Ukraine war: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is prepared to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul – this announcement came minutes after Trump urged Zelenskyy to agree to the meeting.
• On the China-US trade war: The White House says the two countries have agreed to a “trade deal”. China said the talks, in Geneva, were “candid, in-depth and constructive”.
All three of these developments represent dramatic shifts in three separate challenges and hint at the remarkable influence the US president is having globally.
This sets the ground for what could be a truly consequential week for Trump’s presidency and his ability to effect change.
With his unique style, Trump is seeking to align numerous stars as he embarks on his first foreign diplomatic trip of his second presidency.
For days, it’s been unclear how the week ahead would unfold and which global challenge would be dominant.
The Saudi government has been instrumental as a broker in the Ukraine-Russia conflict and Qatar has been a mediator in the Gaza war.
Trump will visit both countries this week.
President Donald Trump on Air Force One earlier this month. File pic: AP
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Putin under pressure?
On Ukraine, Putin held a late-night news conference at the Kremlin on Saturday at which he made the surprise proposal of talks with Zelenskyy in Istanbul this Thursday.
But he rejected European and US calls for an immediate ceasefire.
The move was widely interpreted as a delay tactic.
Trump then issued a social media post urging Zelenskyy to accept the Russian proposal; effectively to call Putin’s bluff.
The American president wrote: “President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY. At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly! I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War ll, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!”
Within minutes, Zelenskyy responded, agreeing to the talks.
“We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
The prospect of Putin and Zelenskyy together in Istanbul on Thursday is remarkable.
It raises the possibility that Trump would want to be there too.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomes other world leaders to Kyiv. Pic: Presidential Office of Ukraine/dpa/AP Images
Israel’s war in Gaza
On Gaza, it’s been announced that US envoy Steve Witkoff will arrive in Israel on Monday to finalise details for the release of Idan Alexander, an Israeli-American hostage being held by Hamas.
The development comes after it was confirmed that Mr Witkoff has been holding discussions with Israel, Qatar and Egypt and, through them, with Hamas.
The talks focused on a possible Gaza hostage deal and larger peace discussions for a ceasefire.
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Gaza after around a year and a half of Israeli attacks. Pic: Reuters/Mahmoud Issa
Just days ago, Israel announced a new military plan to move back into Gaza.
When do candid talks become a trade deal?
Meanwhile, officials from the United States and China have been holding talks in Geneva, Switzerland, to resolve their trade war, which was instigated by Trump’s tariffs against China.
Late on Sunday evening, the White House released a statement claiming that a trade deal had been struck.
In a written statement, titled “U.S. Announces China Trade Deal in Geneva”, treasury secretary Scott Bessent said: “I’m happy to report that we made substantial progress between the United States and China in the very important trade talks… We will be giving details tomorrow, but I can tell you that the talks were productive. We had the vice premier, two vice ministers, who were integrally involved, Ambassador Jamieson, and myself. And I spoke to President Trump, as did Ambassador Jamieson, last night, and he is fully informed of what is going on. So, there will be a complete briefing tomorrow morning.”
Beijing Global Times newspaper quoted the Chinese vice premier as saying that the talks were candid, in-depth and constructive.
However, the Chinese fell short of calling it a trade deal.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
A Qatari gift
In a separate development, US media reports say that Qatar is preparing to gift Trump a Boeing 747 from its royal fleet, which he would use as a replacement for the existing and aging Air Force One plane.
The Qatari government says no deal has been finalised, but the development is already causing controversy because of the optics of accepting gifts of this value.
A Kurdish militant group has announced it is to disband and disarm as part of a peace initiative with Turkey after four decades of armed conflict.
The historic decision by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, comes days after it convened a party congress in northern Iraq.
Beyond just relations with Turkey, the development could have far-reaching political and security consequences for the region, including in neighbouring Syria where Kurdish forces are allied with the US military in the fight against Islamic State.
More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict since the PKK launched its insurgency in 1984 in the hope of carving out a homeland for the Kurds, in an area straddling the borders of southeastern Turkey, northern Syria and Iraq, and part of Iran.
A flag showing the face of Abdullah Ocalan at a gathering in Istanbul in March. Pic: Reuters
The PKK is designated a terrorist group by Turkey and many of its Western allies.
A spokesperson for Turkey’s ruling AK Party said the PKK’s decision to disband was an important step towards a “terror-free Turkey” and it would be closing monitoring the dissolution process.
end of PKK opens gateways for resolving a conflict that has lasted for 40 years
The announcement that the PKK will lay down its arms is a significant development and could see the end of an uprising that has claimed thousands of lives.
The PKK has been in armed conflict with the Turkish state since 1984.
The move to disband and disarm follows a call from the group’s leader, Abdullah Ocalan.
He founded the PKK in 1978 – initially, the aim was to secure a Kurdish state, but over the years, the objective shifted towards gaining greater political and cultural rights.
This latest development comes after Ocalan called for a ceasefire in February.
The group says it has now achieved its objectives, and armed struggle is no longer the way forward. Instead, it will pursue its goals through democratic channels.
There are a number of reasons why all this is happening now.
The PKK has been battered by the Turkish military in recent years, and geopolitical changes in Iraq and Syria have made the organisation’s operations more difficult.
For Turkey, it is a win as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can boast he’s done what his predecessors have failed to do – he can also appeal for support from Kurdish politicians in Turkey to help in his bid for a new term in 2028.
At present, that is a constitutional impossibility.
There are still many questions about how the group will disband and disarm, though: What happens to the fighters and what happens to the weapons?
Questions, too, about the future of Abdullah Ocalan – there are reports that under a deal, he may be paroled. He is currently serving a life sentence.
Unravelling the PKK will undoubtedly be a complex process, but the end of the group opens gateways for resolving a conflict that has lasted for 40 years.
The Firat news agency published what it said was the closing declaration of a congress that the PKK held last week in
northern Iraq, in response to a call in February from its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan to disband.
The congress “decided to dissolve the PKK’s organisational structure and the end armed struggle, with the practical implementation of this process to be led and overseen by (Ocalan),” the agency reported.
“As a result, activities carried out under the name ‘PKK’ were formally terminated.”
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In other Turkey news: Lawyer disputes claims against Erdogan rival
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The congress assessed that the PKK’s struggle had “brought the Kurdish issue to the point of resolution through democratic politics, thus completing its historical mission”.
It was not immediately clear what was meant by having completed the “historical mission”.
Earlier this year, the PKK declared a ceasefire “to pave the way for… peace and democratic society” but attached conditions, including the creation of a legal framework for peace negotiations.
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