Cost of probe into SNP finances soars to £2.7 million

The Herald Scotland

3 days ago

Earlier this month it was revealed that the separate cost to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service - who will lead any future prosecution - have more than doubled from £206,000 in February to £460,000 this month.
That brings the total spent so far by both police and prosecutors to £2.68 million with further extra costs expected.
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[[Operation Branchform]] investigated allegations that £666,953 raised by the [[SNP]] since 2017, specifically to campaign for independence in a proposed second Scottish independence referendum, was spent unlawfully on other activities.
The figures released under Freedom of Information (FOI) to the Daily Record also show that £2.1 million was to cover police officer salary costs. They also reveal a cost of £94,927 in police officer overtime, £2,962 in police staff overtime, £7,691 in transport costs including flights and £11,020 in supplies and services.
The police investigation was launched in July 2021 following a number of complaints and concluded in March this year. During that 44 month period Nicola Sturgeon resigned as First Minister and [[SNP]] leader in February 2023 and was replaced by Humza Yousaf.
Police officers searched the SNP's headquarters in April 2023 (Image: PA) In April that year, her husband and [[SNP]] Chief Executive Peter Murrell was arrested. He was later charged by Police Scotland and appeared in court in March this year on one charge of embezzlement where he made no plea and was granted bail.
No date has yet been given for his second court appearance.
Earlier this month, the Scottish Legal Aid Board confirmed Murrell had been granted legal aid for his defence.
As part of the Police Scotland investigation officers searched Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon's home near Glasgow and the [[SNP]]'s headquarters in Edinburgh. A motorhome, worth around £110,000, was subsequently seized from the home of Mr Murrell's mother in Fife by Branchform detectives.
One of Scotland's leading KCs Joanna Cherry also called on prosecutors this month to make public the specific details of the allegations against Mr Murrell. Writing on X the former SNP MP said: "I can't understand the delay in indicting Peter Murrell. It's way past time the detail of the charges against him were in the public domain."
During Operation Branchform Ms Sturgeon was also arrested and questioned, as was Colin Beattie, the former SNP treasurer. However the police investigations against both ended in March with no charges or further action against either.
Mr Murrell, who is now separated from Ms Sturgeon, stood down as SNP Chief Executive in 2023 following a row over party membership figures.