Nicola Sturgeon cleared by police in SNP finance probe

Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been cleared in a police investigation into the Scottish National Party's finances.

Police have been investigating what happened to more than £600,000 (€717,000) in funding raised by Scottish independence campaigners in 2017 which was supposed to have been ringfenced, but may have been used for other purposes.

Ms Sturgeon and former party treasurer Colin Beattie were both arrested in 2023 but released pending further investigation in the probe - named Operation Branchform by Police Scotland.

Mr Beattie was also cleared by police, who announced the move in a statement.

The news comes after Ms Sturgeon's estranged husband and former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell appeared in court charged with embezzlement.

The former leader announced last week that she will step down as a politician next year, ending a near 30-year career as one of the independence movement's main figureheads.

Ms Sturgeon was among the first group of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) elected to the Holyrood legislative in 1999, as Scotland got its own parliament again after almost 300 years.

She became deputy first minister in 2007 after her former mentor Alex Salmond led the SNP to power for the first time, defeating Labour.

Ms Sturgeon then succeeded Mr Salmond as first minister in 2014 after he quit following a referendum in which Scotland narrowly voted against the country becoming independent from the rest of the UK.

She was Scotland's longest-serving first minister, leading its devolved government in Edinburgh until her resignation in early 2023.

But despite the SNP winning further elections in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon was unable to secure another referendum and the independence movement stalled.

After she resigned, support for the SNP slumped as it became involved in the funding scandal.

Additional reporting PA