Timeline of the SNP’s woes as Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘worst nightmares’ just got worse

Former SNP leader and first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested and released without charge amid a police probe into the party’s funding and finances.

The 52-year-old’s arrest follows on from that of her husband, ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, and ex-SNP treasurer Colin Beattie.

After Mr Murrell was arrested and later released without charge back in April, Ms Sturgeon told journalists that she could not have anticipated in her “worst nightmares what would have unfolded over the past few weeks”.

Here, we chart a timeline of events surrounding the SNP – from the launch of the police probe and civil unrest within the party, right through to the arrest and release without charge of the former first minister.

May 2021: Douglas Chapman MP resigns as SNP treasurer, claiming he had not been given enough information to do his job. Joanna Cherry, a vocal internal critic of the party’s leadership, also resigns from her role on the ruling National Executive Committee (NEC).

July 2021: Police Scotland launch Operation Branchform into the SNP’s funding and finances. The long-running inquiry is linked to the spending of around £600,000 raised by supporters to be earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning. It is understood there have been complaints the ringfenced cash has been used improperly by being spent elsewhere.

27 October 2022: Community safety minister Ash Regan quits the Scottish government shortly before MSPs begin debating the first stage of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which would make it easier for trans people to obtain a gender recognition certificate. A total of seven SNP MSPs break the whip to vote against the controversial bill.

23 November 2022: The UK Supreme Court rules that the Scottish parliament does not have the power to legislate for indyref2 without Westminster approval. Ms Sturgeon vows to use the next general election as a “de facto referendum” on independence and announces that a special SNP conference will be held in the new year to discuss and agree plans.

December 2022: Polling at the end of the year shows a small majority – excluding don’t knows – in support of independence. Ms Sturgeon also remains the leader with the highest satisfaction rating across the UK, scoring 52%. In comparison, Rishi Sunak receives a negative net satisfaction rating among Scots, with 53% dissatisfied with the prime minister’s performance. It also emerges that Mr Murrell had loaned the SNP £100,000 in June 2021. The party said this was to help with a “cash flow” issue after the election that year. Ms Sturgeon said: “The resources that he lent the party were resources that belonged to him.”

17 January 2023: The UK government uses section 35 of the Scotland Act to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from receiving royal assent.

22 January 2023: Following the resignation of New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, Ms Sturgeon says she is “nowhere near” ready to quit as Scotland’s first minister and still has “plenty in the tank”.

24 January 2023: Transgender rapist Isla Bryson is found guilty of attacking two women. The rapes occurred prior to Bryson’s transition from when they were known as Adam Graham. Within days, the argument surrounding the GRR bill explodes after it is discovered that Bryson is being housed within Scotland’s only all-female jail ahead of sentencing. Following a public outcry, Bryson is moved from Cornton Vale to the male estate.

12 February 2023: The Sunday Mail reports that up to 30,000 members have quit the SNP in response to the party’s gender reforms and the stalling of independence. The SNP claims the report is “both malicious and wholly inaccurate”, adding: “Fortunately, few people are gullible enough to believe it.”

15 February 2023: Ms Sturgeon announces she will stand down as SNP leader and first minister. She says: “In my head and in my heart, I know that time is now.” She denies the Isla Bryson case is a reason behind her decision.

24 February 2023: Then Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, then Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and former community safety minister Ash Regan are confirmed as the three candidates in the running to replace Ms Sturgeon as first minister and SNP leader.

28 February 2023: Transgender double rapist Isla Bryson is jailed for eight years.

12 March 2023: Concerns are once again raised over the exact size of the SNP membership after the Mail on Sunday reports only 78,000 online forms are being sent out for the leadership vote.

15 March 2023: Ms Regan, Ms Forbes and Mr Yousaf pile pressure on the SNP to be more transparent over the ballot process. Ms Regan and Ms Forbes join forces to write an open letter to then SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, who is also Ms Sturgeon’s husband. The trio call for the party to reveal the number of paid-up members, as well as the number of digital voting documents and postal voting papers issued.

16 March 2023: Following pressure, the SNP finally reveal that just 72,186 members are eligible to vote in the party leadership contest – a drop of around 30,000 members since 2021.

17 March 2023: Liz Lloyd, Ms Sturgeon’s strategic adviser and long-time chief of staff, announces she will leave the Scottish government when the first minister does. Murray Foote, the SNP’s head of communications, also announces his resignation. Mr Foote, who initially described the Sunday Mail’s story as “drivel”, claims he acted in “good faith” when issuing agreed party responses to media inquiries regarding membership numbers.

18 March 2023: Peter Murrell resigns with immediate effect as the SNP’s chief executive. Reports suggest members of the SNP’s ruling NEC threatened a vote of no confidence. Shouldering the blame for the party’s responses to the media over membership numbers, Mr Murrell accepts: “While there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome.” In response, Ms Sturgeon, tells Sky News that her husband intended to step down but “was right” to announce his immediate resignation.

20 March 2023: Ms Sturgeon tells Sky News that she has not heard whether police want to interview her or her husband as part of the long-running probe into SNP finances. Speaking to Beth Rigby, Ms Sturgeon declines to comment on the ongoing police investigation.

Read more:
Arrests, a luxury motorhome and a power couple’s fall: The inside story of SNP police probe
Who is at the centre of SNP investigation?

29 March 2023: Humza Yosuaf is legally sworn in as Scotland’s new first minister after winning the SNP leadership race.

5 April 2023: Ms Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, is arrested and later released without charge in connection with Operation Branchform. The couple’s home is searched, alongside the SNP’s headquarters.

12 April 2023: It is confirmed that the Scottish and UK governments will enter into a legal battle over Holyrood’s much-debated gender reform bill.

13 April 2023: Mr Yousaf admits he was unaware the SNP owned a £100,000 motorhome until he became party leader in recent weeks. The state-of-the-art vehicle was seized by detectives outside the home of Mr Murrell’s mother as part of the police probe.

18 April 2023: Then SNP treasurer, Colin Beattie, is arrested and later released without charge in connection with Operation Branchform. He steps down as SNP treasurer the next day.

22 April 2023: Stuart McDonald MP is appointed as the SNP’s new treasurer. He admits it’s a “difficult and challenging time” for the party.

25 April 2023: Speaking to journalists at Holyrood following her husband’s arrest, Ms Sturgeon said: “I understand the view that some people might have, that I knew this was all about to unfold and that’s why I walked away. Nothing could be further from the truth. I could not have anticipated in my worst nightmares what would have unfolded over the past few weeks.”

20 May 2023: The SNP’s previously postponed special conference to discuss independence gets a new date and will take place at Dundee’s Caird Hall on 24 June.

31 May 2023: The SNP’s Westminster group files its audited accounts ahead of deadline. It comes after the SNP signed a contract with AMS Accountants Group earlier in the month after it was revealed the previous auditors, Johnston Carmichael, quit in September 2022 following a review of the company’s client portfolio.

11 June 2023: Ms Sturgeon is arrested and released without charge pending further investigation as part of Operation Branchform. A spokesperson for the former first minister said: “Nicola has consistently said she would cooperate with the investigation if asked and continues to do so.”