Nicola Sturgeon has pulled out of a forthcoming Commons committee appearance, just days after her husband was arrested and charged in connection to the embezzlement of SNP party funds.
The former First Minister was set to answer questions from the Scottish Affairs Committee a week today, however today it was announced the appearance has been pulled.
A statement by the MP committee said: “Nicola Sturgeon’s appearance in front of the Scottish Affairs Committee, originally planned for Monday, April 29, has been postponed due to a change in witness availability”.
“Ms Sturgeon has committed to give evidence to the Committee as part of the inquiry entitled Intergovernmental relations: 25 years since the Scotland Act 1998. A new date for the session will be announced in due course.”
A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said that she remains happy to appear before the committee in future, however they provided no reason for her inability to attend the session next Monday.
The move by the former First Minister comes after she broke her silence following the charging of her husband by Police Scotland.
Peter Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive, was charged in connection to the embezzling of funds from his former party on Thursday. Speaking on Friday outside the pair’s Ayrshire home, Ms Sturgeon broke her silence when admitting: “It is incredibly difficult, but that is not the main issue here”.
She added: “I can’t say any more, I’m not going to say any more”. Mr Murrell was charged as part of the police’s ongoing Operation Branchform, which saw Ms Sturgeon herself arrested in June last year.
Alongside the former political power couple, SNP treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested last year.
It is understood that Police Scotland is investigating whether £666,953 of money raised by the party since 2017 specifically for a second independence referendum was spent as promised.
The party said: “All sums raised for independence campaigning will be spent on independence campaigning.”
The police are now examining whether the money was instead spent elsewhere. Ms Sturgeon has previously denied any wrongdoing, insisting: “Money hasn’t gone missing, all money goes through the SNP accounts independently and fully audited.
“Every penny we raise to support the campaign for independence will be spent on the campaign for independence.”
