Humza Yousaf says “all of us in the Scottish National Party would like to see Operation Branchform come to an end.” Photo: Lesley Martin/PA
Humza Yousaf said he wanted to end the long-running police investigation into the Scottish National Party's finances ahead of Friday's anniversary of the raid on Nicola Sturgeon's home.
The First Minister said. that «all of us in the SNP would like to see Operation Branchform concluded» as the investigation now threatens to overwhelm this year's general election.
But he insisted he was not trying to interfere with the investigation and Police Scotland should take as long as will be required.
Since July 2021, Police Scotland's Operation Branchform has been examining the SNP's handling of more than £600,000 in donations raised in 2017 for the second independence referendum.
Supporters made complaints when reports lodged with the Registrar Chamber in 2020, turned out to be invalid. show the SNP only had £97,000 in their account despite the referendum never being held.
On April 5 last year the investigation took a dramatic turn when the home Ms Sturgeon shares with Peter Murrell, her husband, and the former leader of the Scottish National Party was raided by police.
Officers searched their home nearby from Glasgow over two days, during which they set up a large evidence tent and also seized a luxury caravan from Mr Murrell's elderly mother's home in Fife.
Police Scotland searched the home of Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell in April last year. Photo: Watty Chung
Mr Murrell was also arrested in the raid, which took place a week after Mr Yousaf became first minister. Colin Beattie, then the party's treasurer, was arrested the following month and Ms Sturgeon was arrested in June.
All three were released without charge pending further investigations, and Ms Sturgeon has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
Sir Ian Livingstone, the former chief constable of Police Scotland, said last year that the investigation had «come to a close beyond» complaints about missing £600,000.
When asked why Operation Branchform took so long, he noted that investigations into «fraud», «potential theft» and «misuse of funds» take a lot of time.
But Murray Foot, the former communications director and current SNP chief executive, called the search of Ms Sturgeon's home a «grotesque circus» and predicted no charges would be laid.
Senior SNP officials recently called police. return the seized caravan, claiming it could be sold to raise funds for the destitute party or used as a battle bus during the upcoming general election campaign
Ms Sturgeon, leaving her home in Glasgow, strongly denied any wrongdoing. Photo: Andrew Milligan/PA
Asked this week if he was disappointed that the investigation had dragged on, Mr Yousaf told BBC Scotland: «Well, I think people will understand that all of us in the SNP would like to see closure Branchform operations.
“I think this is stating the obvious, but of course it is up to Police Scotland to determine how long this will take and give them the space and time to investigate thoroughly and I am not going to get involved in that.”
“Police Scotland should take as much time as they need to conduct a thorough investigation.»
But Craig Hoy, chairman of the Scottish Conservatives, said: «The fact that this investigation is still taking place a year after Peter Murrell's arrest only confirms the seriousness of what the police are investigating.
“The picture surrounding the SNP's finances is becoming increasingly bleak and senior SNP officials must continue to co-operate fully with this investigation. That didn't appear to be the case recently when they appeared to be begging for the return of their controversial camper.»
Shortly before his retirement last August, Sir Ian said the sooner the investigation was completed the better. for all. involved. Joe Farrell, the new chief constable, has refused to discuss the case since becoming his successor.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “As the investigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment.”
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