Peter Murrell, the husband of former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, has been arrested again by detectives investigating the finances of the Scottish National Party.

The party’s former chief executive, 59, was arrested this morning in connection with the investigation into how more than £600,000 in donations were used.

He was originally arrested by Police Scotland on April 5 last year in the same investigation, and Ms Sturgeon herself was arrested two months later.

Police Scotland said in a statement: “A 59-year-old man has been arrested again today, Thursday 18 April 2024, in relation to the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.”

‘The man, who was previously arrested as a suspect on April 5, 2023, was detained at 9.13am and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives.

“As the investigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Police officers, including forensic experts and others with riot shields, caused a political uproar last year when they carried out a very public search of the Sturgeon family home in Glasgow and the nationalist party headquarters in Edinburgh.

Sturgeon, who resigned as first minister and SNP leader in February 2023, was arrested two months after her husband, while former party treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested. Both Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were released without charge pending further investigation.

Murrell was first arrested by detectives investigating what happened to more than half a million pounds donated to the SNP to pay for a second independence referendum campaign that never materialised.

Earlier this month, the Mail on Sunday revealed that a new officer had been appointed to oversee Operation Branchform, which insiders said was an effort to examine the investigation with a “fresh pair of eyes” before a report is delivered. official to the Crown Office.

It will be prosecutors, not police, who will decide whether charges are filed.

Former cabinet ministers who served under Sturgeon’s government have been questioned as police try to establish whether there has been a long-term culture of secrecy around the operation of the party.

The Operation Branchform investigation, launched in May 2021, focuses on how money raised in 2017 and 2019 as part of a “referendum call” has been used.

Concerns first arose when the SNP’s accounts showed less than £100,000 in the bank in 2019, despite £600,000 being donated to the referendum appeal, prompting at least 19 criminal complaints.

Scottish Conservative Party chairman Craig Hoy said: “This is an extremely serious development and it is essential that all SNP staff and politicians, past and present, co-operate fully with Police Scotland.”

“This complex investigation has been going on for three years and it is vital that the SNP is completely open and transparent so that the police can finally conclude their investigation.”