Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell in 2019. Photo: AFP
Former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon made her first public statements after the arrest of her husband, reassuring reporters that "there will continue to be full cooperation" as the investigation into the funding of the governing pro-independence Scottish National Party continues.
Peter Murrell,58 - the husband of Sturgeon and formerly the SNP's chief executive - was held by police on Wednesday as part of an investigation into party funding before later being released without charge.
Murrell stood down as the SNP's chief executive last month.
Scottish police said a 58-year-old man had been arrested and questioned by detectives before being released more than 11 hours later, pending further investigation, with officers also carrying out searches at a number of addresses linked to the investigation.
Police officers outside the home of Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the Scottish National Party. Photo: AFP
A marked police van was parked outside the couple's home in Glasgow, which was sealed off with blue and white police tape. A blue tent was also put up outside.
While a spokesperson for Sturgeon said it would not be appropriate to comment on a live police investigation, the former leader has since then made her first public statements after the arrest, promising 'full cooperation'.
"As much as there are things I might want to say, I'm not able to do so, other than to say that, as has been the case, there will continue to be full cooperation," Sturgeon said.
"The last few days have been obviously difficult, quite traumatic at times, but I understand that is part of a process."
In the address delivered outside the couple's home, Sturgeon acknowledged that, while she has never shied away from the scrutiny that comes with being a public figure, she asked for consideration for the privacy of her neighbours as the case unfolds.
Investigators are looking at what happened to more than $1.1 million raised by Scottish independence campaigners in 2017, which was supposed to have been ring-fenced, but may have been used for other purposes.
The party's accounts - published by the Electoral Commission, the independent watchdog - showed that, at the end of 2018, the party had about $765,000 in cash or cash equivalents.
Meanwhile, the SNP said it would not be appropriate to comment on any active police investigation, but that it has been cooperating with the probe.
- ABC/ Reuters
