London (CNN) The husband of the former Scottish Prime Minister nicola sturgeonPeter Murrell, was arrested Wednesday in connection with an investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.
Murrell, 58, resigned as SNP chief executive last month after more than two decades in the role following Sturgeon’s surprise resignation as prime minister in February.
A 58-year-old man was “arrested as a suspect” and is being questioned by detectives, Police Scotland said in a statement.
“Officers are also conducting searches at various addresses as part of the investigation,” the statement added.
He was later released without charge “pending further investigation”, according to Police Scotland, after spending almost 12 hours in custody.
Sturgeon and Murrell at St. Paul’s Cathedral on June 3, 2022.
Police Scotland have been investigating the SNP’s handling of money that was slated for the Scottish independence campaign, according to PA Media.
An SNP spokesman said the party would not comment on a live investigation, but that it “has been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so.”
The party’s governing body has agreed to a governance and transparency review, the spokesperson added.
The SNP has led the Scottish government since 2007, but the momentum behind its aim to secede from the UK has slowed recently as the party’s polls have fallen and political headaches have increased.
Murrell and Sturgeon have been key figures in the Scottish independence movement for years.
Sturgeon served as the country’s prime minister for eight years, but dramatically announced that he would step down on February 15.
At the time, Sturgeon said he knew “now is the time” to step down, adding that the move was “right for me, for my party and for the country.”
His announcement sparked a leadership battle that was won by Humza Yousaf, a race that exposed divisions within the party.
