Nicola Sturgeon’s sister has made a bizarre demand as a police investigation into the SNP’s finances continues.
Gillian Sturgeon took to Facebook to air her thoughts on the police probe into the party’s finances, demanding that Scots should instead focus on “investigations further down south”.
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon offered her latest thoughts on the investigation which has seen her husband Peter Murrell charged with embezzling funds from the party he ran as chief executive for more than two decades.
He is yet to learn whether any further action will be taken as the Crown Office consider a Police Scotland report.
She is still an active police suspect in the case after she was arrested and grilled by detectives last year, while former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie was also taken into custody and questioned. Cops are continuing the criminal probe into claims that £660,000 of ring-fenced Indyref2 donations went astray.
Gillian Sturgeon posted on Facebook: “Why is a police investigation that’s still being investigated after ALL THIS TIME still making headlines!!!!!!!
“Let people just get on with their life & stop hounding them!!!!!! Im sick of reading about it & having to see my loved ones suffer!!!!!!!! Focus your investigations further down south!!!!”
It is not known what “investigations” in England that she is referring to instead of Operation Branchform. Nicola Sturgeon told the PA News Agency that she knows “nothing more” about the probe 18 months on from her initial arrest in June 2023.
She said she wished the inquiry “wasn’t there” but that she had no “control over it” before insisting that she has done nothing wrong and will co-operate fully with the authorities.
Asked by BBC Scotland about the probe, she said: “It’s not something I have any control over and I don’t think it would be surprising to anybody to hear me say of course I wish it wasn’t there – but it is what it is and it will take its own course.
“In the meantime I’m getting on with my life, I’m enjoying getting on with my life and there’s no point in me talking about things I can’t comment on anyway.”
Mr Murrell was charged with embezzling money from the SNP in May. Police Scotland have sent two reports since then to the Crown Office, including an “advice and guidance report” in September, seeking formal advice on what they should do next.
A spokesperson for the Crown Office confirmed that prosecutors will review submissions from police and would then make a decision on “next steps.” They added: “All Scotland’s prosecutors operate independently of political influence.”
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said the force was awaiting direction from COPFS “on what further action should be taken”. The complex probe has hung over the heads of the SNP leadership since 2021.