Scotland: husband of ex-independence leader Nicola Sturgeon arrested

New setback for the Scottish independence movement: the husband of Nicola Sturgeon, who has just left his post as Prime Minister, was arrested on Wednesday as part of an investigation into the finances of their party.

As the charismatic leader's surprise resignation has left the Scottish National Party (SNP) weakened, police in Scotland announced the arrest of a 58-year-old man on Wednesday.

Significant police presence

"

," police said in a statement without identifying him.

"

."

According to British media, it is Peter Murrell, husband of Nicola Sturgeon.

He was until mid-March director general of the SNP and then resigned from these functions, which he had held for 20 years, in the midst of a controversy over the number of members of the formation, during the internal campaign to appoint a new leader. .

Reporters noted a heavy police presence at the couple's home in Glasgow on Wednesday morning, with a large tent set up in front of the house.

Ongoing investigations relate in particular to the use of donations of 600,000 pounds sterling (683,000 euros) collected in recent years to organize a new independence referendum, a project currently at an impasse in the face of rejection from London.

The media are also raising questions about a loan he allegedly paid to the party.

Read alsoScotland: Humza Yousaf, the Minister of Health, takes the reins of the country

In a statement, the party said it was "not

".

The formation specified that it had decided on Saturday to review its governance and its rules of transparency.

Like his wife, Peter Murrell has dedicated his life to the independence cause.

He met Nicola Sturgeon at an SNP youth camp and they married in 2010. Their relationship had sparked accusations of conflict of interest at the head of the majority party in the Scottish Parliament, more pressing during the campaign for succession organized in March.

Internal divisions

Nicola Sturgeon, after eight years at the head of Scotland and a total of 15 years in positions of responsibility in the local executive, announced his resignation in mid-February to everyone's surprise, explaining that he lacked energy.

His last weeks in office were also marked by violent attacks linked to the law passed by the Scottish Parliament facilitating gender transition, which London vetoed.

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She did not comment on her husband's arrest or the searches at his home.

She had denied any link with the loan granted by Peter Murrell to the SNP, assuring that it was about funds "

personally to her husband.

The departure of the charismatic leader, who carried the independence fight with determination, weakened the party, which emerged divided from the internal campaign which resulted in the appointment as prime minister of Humza Yousaf, 37, last week.

The leader, the first of the Muslim faith to head one of the constituent nations of the United Kingdom, is considered to embody continuity after Nicola Sturgeon, with a progressive line on societal issues and left economically.

But he only won 52% of the vote against the more conservative Kate Forbes.

This transition at the head of Scotland comes as the fight for independence, a time revived by Brexit and the unpopularity of successive Conservative governments in London, seems to have reached an impasse.

The Supreme Court has rejected Edinburgh's desire to organize a new referendum without London's agreement, after the vote that led to the victory of the 55% "

" in 2014. The separatists see independence as a way to join the European Union.

Over 60% of Scots voted against leaving the EU in 2016.