He has been charged with embezzling funds from the party between August 2010 and October 2022.
Arrested in 2023 and charged in 2024, Murrell has been remanded in custody and is set to be sentenced at the end of June.
He made a series of extravagant purchases while he was SNP chief, including a £124,550 campervan for his own personal use.
His then-wife Sturgeon was also arrested in 2024 and questioned by detectives, but was never charged with any offences.
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The former first minister of Scotland and ex-SNP leader has faced a barrage of criticism after she claimed she was completely unaware of her then-spouse Peter Murrell’s crimes.
Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Sturgeon said: “A lot of women find themselves blamed for the men of the actions in their lives – I’m not going to contribute to that in a sense that I am responsible for somebody else’s crimes.”
She added: “I believe strongly in that accountability, but I am not responsible for the crimes my former husband committed and I’m not going to apologise for somebody else’s crimes.”
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But BBC presenter Kuenssberg pointed out that Sturgeon was still leader of the party when Murrell was taking funds from the party, and asked if she therefore beared responsibility.
“He perpetrated a crime on the SNP,” the ex-first minister said. “By definition, that includes me as party leader.
“He misled, he deceived. He is serving and will be serving a sentence for a crime he committed.
“I’m out here, feeling as if I’m serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit.”
Asked why she only gave “no comment” responses to the police when she was arrested, Sturgeon said: “I was in a state of near collapse. I was terrified, I was bewildered, I was in a state of high stress and anxiety.”
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She said her lawyer told her not to answer questions “in such a state of stress”, and that she prepared a detailed statement afterwards.
Sturgeon also insisted she was unaware that her husband had bought the campervan.
“My mother and father’s house has a driveway in front where we would park our car and then we would go into the house,” she said.
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“Where the motorhome was was round the side of the house, which was not immediately visible in the way that we went into the house.”
She said: “I genuinely, genuinely, don’t have any conscious memory of seeing that motorhome.
“If I saw it I probably would have assumed it was a neighbour’s. My mother and father-in-law were in their mid-80s, it wouldn’t have crossed my mind that it was theirs and why would it have crossed my mind that it was the SNP’s, that Peter had bought it?”
She said it was “never” discussed, adding: “I genuinely do not recall seeing it in a way that I registered it and thought, ‘oh there’s a motorhome’.”
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Calls for a police probe into Peter Mandelson have grown amid suggestions the peer leaked sensitive government information to dead paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) released a vast trove of documents related to Epstein’s network over the weekend, including his email exchanges with Mandelson.
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Their conversations suggested that Mandelson passed Epstein at least one confidential memo when he was the business secretary back in 2009, following the financial crash.
He appeared to forward an economic briefing for then-prime minister Gordon Brown to Epstein, who pleaded guilt to procuring an underage child for prostitution the previous year.
Mandelson added the caption: “Interesting note that’s gone to the PM.”
Their conversations suggest Mandelson gave Epstein advance notice of a €500bn bailout from the EU to save the Euro, too.
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These emails have sparked fears about whether Mandelson therefore committed misconduct in a public office, which can lead to a maximum sentence of life behind bars.
Both Reform and the SNP have sent separate referrals to the Metropolitan Police to investigate Mandelson.
A Reform UK spokesperson said: “We have today reported Peter Mandelson to the police for misconduct in public office.
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“It’s abundantly clear that Peter Mandelson has abused his position in office. It’s now time the police do their job and properly investigate these shocking new revelations.”
SNP Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, said “the disgraceful revelations” about Mandelson’s messages to Epstein “are shocking and must be fully investigated by the UK government and all appropriate authorities.”
“There is no question that Lord Mandelson’s actions were shameful and unethical – the only question is the extent to which his actions breached the ministerial code and the law,” he said. “I have, therefore, reported Peter Mandelson to the Metropolitan Police.”
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Flynn said: “It is essential these matters are fully investigated to ensure maximum transparency and justice.”
Similarly, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey called for a criminal probe.
He said: “The Epstein files suggest Peter Mandelson leaked sensitive government information to a convicted sex offender while serving as a minister, and even suggested a US bank should threaten the government to lower its tax bill.
“These allegations are incredibly serious, it is now only right that the police investigate Peter Mandelson for potential misconduct in public office.”
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with then-ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson during a welcome reception at the ambassador’s residence on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 in Washington.
via Associated Press
Gordon Brown, who was prime minister between 2007 and 2010, also called for a probe after the “shocking” revelation on Monday.
“I have today asked the cabinet secretary to investigate the disclosure of confidential and market sensitive information from the then business department during the global financial crisis,” he said.
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He revealed that he asked the cabinet secretary Chris Wormald to investigate “the veracity of information contained in the Epstein papers about the sale of assets arising from the banking collapse and communications about them between Lord Mandelson and Mr Epstein” back in September.
While that enquiry concluded that there was “no departmental record” of these conversations, Brown said these new documents suggested it was time for a “wider and more intensive inquiry”.
He said the probe should look at the “wholly unacceptable disclosure of government papers and information during the period when the country was battling the global financial crisis.”
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Brown’s former government adviser Nick Butler also told Times Radio that Mandelson “should be ashamed of the breach of trust and the betrayal of trust that he’s been involved in”.
“I agree with Gordon Brown that there should be a full inquiry now into all the messages from the government at that time to Epstein,” he added.
“How many more messages on really important issues, important issues on which Epstein could have made a lot of money? How many messages were sent in that period? I think Peter should now resign from the Lords. I think that would be the honourable thing to do.”
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Chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones told MPs that the prime minister has orded the cabinet secretary to investigate Mandelson’s contact with Epstein.
He added: “Whilst Peter Mandelson must account for his actions and conduct, it is an understatement to say that his decision to continue a close relationship with a convicted paedophile, including discussing private government business, falls far below the standards expected of any minister. His behaviour was unequivocally wrong and an insult to the women and girls who suffered.”
He then quit Labour on Sunday night after the documents appeared to show him receiving $75,000 from the late financier, claiming he did not want to cause “further embarrassment”.
His spokesperson said the government wants to work with the Lords to “strengthen the circumstances in which disgraced members can be removed” from parliament.
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He said Starmer “believes that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title”.
At the moment, it requires an act of parliament is required to removed an individual from the Lords.
A Labour Party spokesman said: “It is right that Peter Mandelson is no longer a member of the Labour Party. Disciplinary action was underway prior to his resignation.
“Jeffrey Epstein’s heinous crimes destroyed the lives of so many women and girls, and our thoughts remain with his victims.”
Nicola Sturgeon has been cleared of wrongdoing following an probe into the SNP’s finances.
The party’s former leader was arrested in June 2023 by detectives investigating the whereabouts of £660,000 donated to the party for a second independence referendum campaign.
Her husband and former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, and the party’s former treasurer Colin Beattie, were also arrested as part of the Operation Branchform probe.
In a statement, Police Scotland later confirmed that Sturgeon and Beattie will not be charged.
A spokesperson said: “Following direction from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, criminal enquiries into two people arrested as part of the investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party have now concluded.
“The 73 year-old man arrested on 18 April, 2023, and the 54 year-old woman arrested on 11 June, 2023, have not been charged and are no longer under investigation.”
The police inquiry was launched following allegations that the money, which was meant to be in a ring-fenced fund to pay for a second independence referendum, had been misappropriated.
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Sturgeon announced earlier this year that she and Murrell had “decided to end” their marriage.
It was announced earlier this week that her memoir, Frankly, will be published in August.
Speaking outside her home near Glasgow, Sturgeon said: “I am completely in the clear, that is the outcome I would always have expected.
“As I have said to all of you many times, I have done nothing wrong so I was confident of reaching at this point and getting to this outcome.
“For almost two years I have had this cloud of investigation hanging over me.
“I think it won’t surprise anybody to hear me say that it’s not been an easy experience, so to reach this point today it is obviously something I am relieved about.
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“I’ve been try to get on with my life and I now intend to do that.”
Labour won by a landslide while the Tories had some of their worst ever results – but this election also painted a very complex picture for Westminster.
Five independents were elected, while the rise of the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and the Green Party show that last night was not just a tale of two parties.
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Here’s a look at all the main stories from overnight.
1. Huge Labour victory
With a couple more seats still to be counted, the party took a whopping 412 seats, only six fewer than it did when Tony Blair was the helm in his famous landslide of 1997.
That works out to a gain of at least 211 seats compared to the 2019 general election.
It means a comfortable majority is ahead for Keir Starmer, as Labour were the largest party in England, Scotland and Wales.
The so-called “red wall” in the North of England was completely restored, too.
However, it’s not all plain sailing – Starmer comes to office on the smallest share of the vote of any winning party in UK history as the votes were widespread across many constituencies but not particularly high in number in any seats.
Only 33.7% of voters backed the supposedly reformed Labour, just 1.6% higher than his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn secured in 2019 when he famously lost.
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That seems to reflect the general sentiment that support for Labour was more of an anti-Tory tactic rather than an endorsement of Starmer and his party.
Labour leader and incoming Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and wife Victoria enter 10 Downing Street
Carl Court via Getty Images
2. Drop in Muslim support for Labour
The party’s flip-flopping over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has had a profound effect on its Muslim supporters.
In constituencies with a large Muslim demographic, support declined by around 23 points to 39%.
But this gave way to the rise of the independents, like ousted Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who was re-elected into his constituency of Islington North.
In fact five pro-Gaza independent candidates were elected in total, outnumbering the total Reform UK candidates.
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3. Worst Tory defeat in history
Rishi Sunak may have comfortably held onto his seat in North Yorkshire, but he was easily the biggest loser of the night.
He led the Conservative Party into its worst electoral defeat ever seen, losing 250 seats.
The Tories secured just 121 constituencies as the party’s vote share fell by 19.9 percentage points to 23.7%.
For comparison, John Major’s Conservatives won 30% of the vote share when they endured a huge defeat in 1997.
They will now have zero seats in Wales, and only one in the North East of England and one in the North West.
Many previously “safe” Tory seats were lost overnight, including four of the five constituencies were the last five Conservative leaders were elected.
The share of the vote particularly fell in areas where high numbers backed leaving the EU.
The dramatic night means there’s likely to be a brutal battle to shape the party now, as Tories struggle to decide whether to pull it further right or into the centre.
Outgoing Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunal
Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
4. Best Lib Dem result since 1923
The party has secured 71 seats – a whopping increase compared to the 2019 election, where they had only eight, and beating their 2005 record of 62.
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They’ve won both new seats and old constituencies back – and ousted four cabinet ministers – albeit on just 12% of the vote share.
The Lib Dems also secured constituencies once held by former PMs David Cameron and Theresa May in their campaign where they targeted Tory areas.
It’s a far cry from the 2019 result when the party leader Jo Swinson unexpectedly lost her seat.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is greeted by supporters
Gareth Fuller – PA Images via Getty Images
5. SNP in chaos
The Nationalists, who have completely dominated Scottish politics since 2014, secured just nine seats in a major blow to the project for independence.
That’s a drop of 38 representatives in Westminster, with many of their seats going to Labour and a handful going to both the Lib Dems and the Tories.
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The SNP’s share of the vote has therefore fallen by 15 points – while Labour’s has increased by 17 in Scotland.
But it’s not a complete wipeout, considering the party still commanding a minority government in the Scottish parliament in Holyrood.
Yet, those seats could soon be at risk in the 2026 devolved election, depending on how Labour’s first few years in parliament goes.
Labour will also have to grapple with the increase of independence supporters among their voters.
6. Reform get a foothold in the Commons
The populist party took votes from the collapse of the Conservative support in many places, secured its first four elected MPs ever.
Party leader Nigel Farage won a seat for the first time (after seven failed attempts over the years) and Tory defector Lee Anderson – the party’s first ever representative in the Commons – was re-elected.
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Reform chair Richard Tice and Rupert Lowe were elected, too.
Considering how quickly Reform has managed to gather support – Farage only entered the race two weeks after the election was called – the populists claim they will be able to put serious pressure on Labour in the next five years.
Farage has previously said he wants his party to be the main opposition to Keir Starmer’s party by the time of the next election, and last night said: “We’re coming for Labour, be in no doubt about that.”
7. Green Party get most MPs ever
With four MPs in Bristol Central, Waveney Valley, North Herefordshire and Brighton Pavilion, the Greens had their best set of results ever.
Until now, the party has only ever held the East Sussex constituency of Brighton Pavilion, giving them just one seat in parliament.
But last night, the party’s co-leader Carla Denyer overturned Labour’s shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire with a 10,000 majority.
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The other co-leader Adrian Ramsay defeated a 22,000 Tory majority in Waveney Valley, with a swing to the Greens of 32.1%.
Overall, it is expected to take 7% of the overall vote share – more than double what it secured in the 2019 election.
Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer after casting her vote in the 2024 General Election at Redland Park United Reformed Church in Bristol.
Jonathan Brady – PA Images via Getty Images
8. Sinn Fein hold on
The Republican party held onto its seven seats in Westminster, although it does not take them in protest to Northern Ireland being part of the UK.
It means most of the NI seats in Westminster will remain empty.
Sinn Fein is already the largest in local government and in the devolved government of Stormont.
And while the Democratic Unionist Party lost three of its eight seats, with supporters moving to other unionist parties, there was not a noteworthy shift in the vote share between Unionists and Nationalists.
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9. Fall in overall voter turnout
This was the second lowest turnout ever recorded with only 60% of the electorate turning up, rivalled only by the 59% seen in 2001.
That suggests apathy and frustration may be more prevalent among the electorate than politicians realise.
Humza Yousaf will “come out fighting” to save his job as Scottish first minister, the SNP’s Westminster leader has declared.
Stephen Flynn said he will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Yousaf, who faces a vote of no confidence at Holyrood next week.
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His leadership was plunged into crisis yesterday after he ended the SNP’s tie-up with the Green Party at the Scottish Parliament.
The Greens said they would support a motion of no confidence in Yousaf tabled by Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross.
That has left the first minister relying on the backing of Ash Regan – who defected from the SNP to the Alba Party last year – to save his job.
Amid speculation that Yousaf could resign before next week’s vote, Flynn told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme: “I spoke to the first minister last night shortly after we’d put our own kids to bed and he’s going to come out fighting.
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“He’s going to come out fighting because he believes in his priorities for the people and he believes in representing the public to the best of his ability and that means ensuring that the Scottish government is delivering for them.
“I’m very keen to hear what he has to say and I’m going to be standing shoulder to shoulder beside him as he seeks to convince others in Holyrood that he’s the right person to take our country forward.”
Asked if Yousaf would quit if he lost the confidence vote, Flynn said: “24 hours is a long time in politics, a week is an even longer time in politics.
“There’s a lot of water to flow under the bridge over the coming days. There’s a lot of discussions to be had, there’s going to be a lot of time for reflection for many of the main parties within this.
“I would still be confident that once people have heard what the first minister has to say that they can be convinced that he is indeed the right man to remain as first minister and to focus on the public’s priorities.”
Lindsay Hoyle is fighting for survival after SNP and Tory MPs declared they had no confidence in him continuing as Commons Speaker following a day of chaos in parliament.
A total of 33 of them have so far signed an early day motion outlining their opposition to him remaining in post.
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Hoyle sparked fury when he ignored convention, and the advice of his officials, by selecting a Labour amendment to an SNP opposition day motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza.
Amid remarkable scenes, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt announced after four hours of debate, that the government was withdrawing its own amendment seeking a “humanitarian pause” in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
That led to Tory and SNP MPs walking out of the chamber in protest after it became clear that meant the Scottish nationalists’ motion would not be voted on.
Instead, Labour’s amendment calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” was passed unopposed.
Hoyle eventually re-appeared in the debating chamber to apologise for what had happened, insisting he had taken the unusual step in an attempt to protect MPs from a backlash by pro-Palestine campaigners.
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He said: “It was my wish to do the best by every member of this House … because I am very, very concerned about the security of all members.”
The Speaker added: “I regret how it’s ended up. It was not my intention. I wanted all to ensure that they could express their views and all sides of the house could vote.
“As it was, and particularly the SNP, were ultimately unable to vote on their proposition. I am, and I regret, with my sadness that it has ended up in this position. It was never my intention for it to end up like this.
“I was absolutely convinced that the decision was done with the right intentions.”
He admitted the row “has not shown the house at its best”.
“I will reflect on my part,” he said. “I recommit myself that all members of this House are treated fairly. I do not want it to have ended like this.”
Hoyle also said he was “offended” by Tory claims that he had come under pressure from Sue Gray, the former top civil servant who is now Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, to accept the Labour amendment.
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He said: “I am honest in this House, I am true to this House and all members of this House, and I try to do what I thought was right for all sides of this House.
“It is regrettable and I apologise for a decision that didn’t end up in the place that I wished for.”
One government minister told HuffPost UK: “The Speaker will not survive. The no confidence motion will get support. He doesn’t have long. MPs are livid.”
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: “Today’s shameful events show Westminster is utterly broken.
“This should have been the chance for the UK Parliament to do the right thing and vote for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel – instead it turned into a Westminster circus.”
UK ministers have been accused of “cultural appropriation” after appearing to suggest that Dennis the Menace was “created in London”.
SNP MP Chris Law reacted angrily after the comic book character and his dog Gnasher were used in a government advert.
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The billboard, for the GREAT campaign, shows the pair standing on a man’s shoulder beside the message: “Created in London, unleashed in more than 100 countries.”
That is despite the fact that Dennis the Menace was in fact created in Dundee by George Moonie, the then editor of The Beano.
Law, who is the MP for Dundee West, said the advert was “utter garbage”.
Writing on X (formerly Twitter), he said: “Dundee city created Dennis the Menace and Gnasher through the publishers DC Thomson. Cultural appropriation is a desperate measure to claim credibility.”
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A government spokesperson said: “The Dennis and Gnasher animated series was created in London, based on the brilliant Beano cartoon that originated in Dundee.
“In this way it is the perfect representation of the ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign, which seeks to highlight success stories from across our great union of nations.
“We work closely with businesses like Beano to tell their start-up story, demonstrating the support the UK government provides to help companies grow and export around the world.”
The former first minister was quizzed by detectives for seven hours before being released without charge.
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Police Scotland have launched an investigation into the whereabouts of £660,000 donated to the SNP for a second independence referendum campaign
Sturgeon’s husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, and the party’s former treasurer, Colin Beattie, have previously been arrested as part of the probe, known as Operation Branchform.
Following her release this evening, Sturgeon issued a statement on Twitter in which she said it was “beyond doubt” that she was innocent.
She said: “To find myself in the situation I did today when I am certain I have committed no offence is both a shock and deeply distressing.
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“I know that this ongoing investigation is difficult for people, and I am grateful that so many continue to show faith in me and appreciate that I would never do anything to harm either the SNP or the country.”
Ms Sturgeon went on: “Obviously, given the nature of this process, I cannot go into detail.
“However, I do wish to say this, and to do so in the strongest possible terms. Innocence is not just a presumption I am entitled to in law. I know beyond doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing.”
Sturgeon thanked “the many people who have sent messages of support over these past difficult weeks – including since today’s news broke”.
She added: “Thank you also to my close circle of family and friends who are giving me much-needed strength at this time.”
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Police Scotland are investigating claims that the donations from activists to support the campaign for a second independence referendum were used for other purposes.
The inquiry was launched following allegations that the money, which was meant to be in a ring-fenced fund, had been misappropriated.
An SNP spokesperson said: “These issues are subject to a live police investigation.
“The SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so, however it is not appropriate to publicly address any issues while that investigation is ongoing.”
Nicola Sturgeon has been released by police after being arrested as part of their investigation into the SNP’s finances.
Scotland’s former first minister was questioned for seven hours by detectives investigating the whereabouts of £660,000 donated to the party for a second independence referendum campaign.
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She was released without charge pending further investigations.
Sturgeon’s husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, and the party’s treasurer, Colin Beattie, have previously been arrested as part of the probe, known as Operation Branchform.
In a statement, Police Scotland said: “A 52-year-old woman has today, Sunday, June 11, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.”
A spokeswoman for Sturgeon said: “By arrangement with Police Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon attended an interview where she was to be arrested and questioned in relation to Operation Branchform.
“Nicola has consistently said she would co-operate with the investigation if asked and continues to do so.”
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Police Scotland are investigating claims that the donations from activists to support the campaign for a second independence referendum were used for other purposes.
The inquiry was launched following allegations that the money, which was meant to be in a ring-fenced fund, had been misappropriated.
An SNP spokesperson said: “These issues are subject to a live police investigation.
“The SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so, however it is not appropriate to publicly address any issues while that investigation is ongoing.”
Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray saying: “This is a deeply concerning development and the Police Scotland investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference.
“For too long, a culture of secrecy and cover-up has been allowed to fester at the heart of the SNP.”
The SNP’s treasurer has quit after being arrested by police investigating the party’s finances.
Colin Beattie, who is also a member of the Scottish Parliament, said it was “the right decision to avoid further distraction” to the work of party leader Humza Yousaf.
The 71-year-old was questioned by detectives yesterday as part of their probe into claims that £660,000 raised by the SNP to fight another independence referendum has been mis-spent.
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He was released last night without charge, pending further investigations.
Beattie’s arrest came just two weeks after Peter Murrell, the SNP’ former chief executive and the husband of Nicola Sturgeon, was also taken into custody by Police Scotland.
He was also released without charge after being questioned for 11 hours.
In a statement, Beattie said: “This afternoon, I informed the party leader that I will be stepping back from my role as SNP national treasurer with immediate effect.
“I have also informed the SNP chief whip at Holyrood that I will be stepping back from my role on the Public Audit Committee until the police investigation has concluded.
“On a personal level, this decision has not been easy, but it is the right decision to avoid further distraction to the important work being led by Humza Yousaf to improve the SNP’s governance and transparency.
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“I will continue to co-operate fully with Police Scotland’s inquiries and it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further on a live case.”
Beattie was originally SNP treasurer between 2004 and 2020 before being replaced by Douglas Chapman MP.
He returned to the role in 2021 after Chapman resigned, claiming he “had not received the support or financial information required” to carry out his duties.
As well as being leader, Yousaf is now the SNP’s interim treasurer until a full-time replacement can be found.
It was reported at the weekend that Beattie had told a meeting of the SNP’s national executive council that he was “having difficulty balancing the books” after the party lost 30,000 members and several big-money donors.
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However, the party has insisted that it is not running out of cash.
The police investigation, called Operation Branchform, was launched following allegations that the £660,000, which was meant to be in a ring-fenced fund, had been misappropriated. The party has denied any wrongdoing.
It emerged in December that Murrell – who was chief executive for more than 20 years – had loaned the SNP £107,620 to help with “cash flow”.
