Nicola Sturgeon should consider resigning from the Scottish National Party (SNP) while police carry out an investigation into its finances, former leadership candidate Ash Regan has said.
Scotland’s former first minister Ms Sturgeon was arrested and subsequently released without charge on Sunday as part of the police inquiry.
The investigation, called Operation Branchform, is looking into what happened to more than £600,000 ($754,140) raised by Scottish independence campaigners in 2017.
The money was supposed to have been ring-fenced for a second referendum on Scottish independence but may have been used for other purposes.
Ms Sturgeon, who stepped down as SNP leader and first minister in February after more than eight years in office, said her arrest was “both a shock and deeply distressing”.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland on Monday, Ms Regan, who stood for the leadership, losing out to Humza Yousaf, said: “The government needs to be completely focused on delivering public services and delivering for the people of Scotland in these difficult times.”
She said the inquiry into the party’s finances could be a “distraction” and added: “I think that Nicola should perhaps consider voluntarily resigning her SNP membership until this can be cleared up.”
Resigning would “reaffirm [Ms Sturgeon’s] commitment to the principles of the party”, Ms Regan said.
Asked if Ms Sturgeon should be suspended from the party, Ms Regan said Mr Yousaf may already be considering such a move. “Accountability in these type of situations is really important,” she added.
The suggestion was dismissed by Mr Yousaf on Monday, who said he "sees no reason" to suspend Ms Sturgeon following her arrest.
He told the BBC: "I will do what I believe is right to the values of natural justice.
"Nicola Sturgeon, like Colin Beattie, like Peter Murrell, was released without charge.
"Therefore, I see no reason for their membership to be suspended."
Ms Sturgeon was arrested at 10.09am on Sunday “by arrangement” with Police Scotland and released from custody at 5.24pm.
A report will now be sent to the procurator fiscal, Scotland's public prosecution service, Police Scotland said.
Ms Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell was arrested in April as part of the continuing investigation. Their Glasgow home was searched after his arrest. He was also released without charge.
At the time of her husband's arrest, Ms Sturgeon said she would “fully co-operate” with police if required.
SNP treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested and questioned before being released without charge.
In April, Mr Yousaf denied rumours the SNP was heading for bankruptcy.
He said additional financial oversight and external input were “really important” amid a review into party finances, with a public report due in the autumn.
The SNP was “desperate” to appoint auditors, he said.
Ms Sturgeon has denied any wrongdoing.
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Essentials
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
