SNP treasurer Colin Beattie arrested in occasion funds probe

SNP treasurer Colin Beattie has been arrested in reference to a Police Scotland investigation into the occasion’s funds, the newest improvement in saga engulfing the occasion in energy in Scotland.

First minister Humza Yousaf is going through calls to droop Nicola Sturgeon and people beneath investigation, after Mr Beattie was taken into custody on Tuesday morning for questioning by detectives.

It follows the arrest of chief government Peter Murrell, Ms Sturgeon’s husband, in reference to the probe. He was later launched with out cost pending additional inquiries.

The probe into £660,000 raised particularly for Scottish independence campaigning was launched after it was alleged cash was diverted from the “ring-fenced” fund – sparking the exit of senior individuals from the SNP.

Mr Beattie is a long-serving treasurer of the SNP, having held the submit from 2004 till 2020, after which once more since 2021. The 71-year-old has additionally been the MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh because the 2011 Holyrood elections.

Mr Yousaf has mentioned he does “not imagine” that the SNP is working in a legal manner after the arrest – saying he was “stunned when certainly one of my colleagues has been arrested”.

Questioned by reporters if the SNP was working criminally, the primary minister instructed reporters: “No, actually I don’t imagine it’s in any respect, no.”

Mr Yousaf mentioned he wished to debate “pertinent points” about Mr Beattie’s position because the SNP treasurer – and his position on the Scottish parliament’s public audit committee – with him each time he’s launched by police.

“I’ll have to talk to Colin Beattie. My understanding is he’s nonetheless within the police station being questioned,” he instructed reporters at lunchtime on Tuesday.

“Clearly when he’s off that, I’ll have a phrase with Colin – not in regards to the reside investigation – however clearly there are pertinent points round public audit committee and naturally his roles as nationwide treasurer.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson mentioned: “A 71-year-old man has immediately, Tuesday, 18 April 2023, been arrested as a suspect in reference to the continuing investigation into the funding and funds of the Scottish Nationwide Celebration.”

An SNP spokesperson mentioned: “We’ve no touch upon a reside police investigation.”

There have been additional media reviews over the weekend concerning Ms Sturgeon’s position within the SNP’s funds. The Sunday Mail cited leaked emails which appeared to point out she had blocked plans to rent a fundraising supervisor for the occasion regardless of issues about transparency.

Police Scotland detectives are mentioned to have been handed emails displaying Ms Sturgeon quashed the thought in June 2021. The Mail additionally printed a video through which Ms Sturgeon instructed the occasion’s Nationwide Govt Committee that there have been no issues with the accounts.

Jackie Baillie, the Scottish Labour deputy chief, known as on Mr Yousaf to droop these beneath investigation. “For too lengthy, a tradition of secrecy and cover-up has been allowed to fester on the coronary heart of the SNP,” she mentioned.

She added: “And whereas the investigation spreads, the SNP remains to be refusing to take the fundamental step of suspending MSPs who’re the topic of police inquiries. Humza Yousaf’s inaction raises questions – is his precedence the duvet as much as defend the SNP or the individuals of Scotland?”

Craig Hoy, the chair of the Scottish Conservatives, mentioned the police investigation was “consuming” the SNP and urged the occasion’s chief to “get a grip of the state of affairs”.

Mr Hoy mentioned: “He should present some management and droop Colin Beattie – together with Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon. Colin Beattie also needs to stand down from membership of the Public Audit Committee till the conclusion of the investigation.”

He added: “This extraordinarily critical matter is escalating by the day and everybody within the SNP has an obligation to be as clear as doable about what they knew and when.”

Ash Regan – who got here final within the SNP management contest – has mentioned that she has “some sympathy” with these saying the competition ought to now be re-run given the continuing turmoil.

Ms Reagan instructed BBC Radio 4 that she was “fairly shocked” by Mr Beattie’s arrest “and I feel some motion must be taken by Mr Yousaf”.

Requested if Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell must be suspended, she instructed the BBC: “Whether it is discovered that individuals have been concerned in one thing of this case, till that may be cleared up … they need to be suspended from the occasion.” However she later clarified that SNP figures ought to solely be suspended if “important wrongdoing” was discovered.

In the meantime, in a big climbdown, Mr Yousaf introduced that the Scottish authorities would delay the introduction of the controversial bottle deposit scheme till March 2024.

The primary minister additionally promised to “return to the drafting board” on SNP plans to introduce additional restrictions on alcohol promoting.

Scottish Labour chief Anas Sarwar mentioned Mr Yousaf was “not operating a functioning authorities”, whereas Meghan Gallacher, deputy chief of the Scottish Tories, mentioned the SNP was in “complete meltdown”.