Scottish ex-leader Nicola Sturgeon arrested for financial misconduct

Scottish ex-leader Nicola Sturgeon arrested for financial misconduct

It was another watershed moment in Scottish politics as Nicola Sturgeon was arrested in a series of finance investigations .

Sturgeon was arrested in connection with a police investigation into the Scottish National Party’s funding.

It was alleged that Nicolas Sturgeon may have diverted funds totaling over £600,000 ($754,140) that activists donated to the SNP for personal use. 

The money was raised by Scottish independence campaigners for a future referendum campaign, which may have been misused for other purposes, according to Reuters.

Sturgeon’s arrest came a few months following her resignation from her position as first minister after being in office for eight years.

According to the Financial Times, a spokesperson for Sturgeon said the former first minister had attended an interview with Police Scotland on Sunday “by arrangement” and would “co-operate with the investigation”. 

In a later statement on Twitter, Sturgeon said she had committed no crime and that being arrested was “a shock and deeply distressing”.

“I would never do anything to harm either the SNP or the country,” she wrote, adding: “I know beyond doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing.”

 The widening police probe, together with setbacks for the SNP government on issues from ferry provision to recycling policy, has created an opening for Labour to regain ground in Scotland ahead of next year’s UK general election.

Nicola Sturgeon is a female Scottish politician who served as first Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 2014 to 2023.