Scottish police arrests SNP treasurer as part of funding probe

LONDON: The Scottish National Party’s treasurer was arrested by police on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the finances of the governing pro-independence party that has damaged its image and undermined its new leader.

Police Scotland said a 71-year-old man had been arrested as a suspect in its ongoing inquiry. The party’s leader said the arrested man was the SNP treasurer Colin Beattie.

The investigation is looking at what happened to more than 600,000 pounds ($750,000) raised by Scottish independence campaigners in 2017, which was supposed to have been ring-fenced but may have been used for other purposes.

The arrest comes as the SNP, Scotland’s dominant political party, faces deepening questions about its governance and finances. Opposition parties said the party was mired in scandal and struggling to govern Scotland.

Scotland’s longest serving leader of its semi-autonomous government, Nicola Sturgeon, caught the political world by surprise when she announced her resignation in February, sparking a divisive race to succeed her.

Humza Yousaf, who won the contest last month after pitching himself as the continuity candidate, has seen the first few weeks of his premiership dominated by questions about the party’s credibility.