Come clean on Branchform

Plea comes on anniversary of arrest of Sturgeon's husband | Nats fears ongoing probe will undermine election chances

- CHRIS MCCALL

POLICE Scotland has been urged to make a public statement on Operation Branchform on the first anniversary of the arrest of Nicola Sturgeon's husband.

The political world was stunned on April 5 last year when dozens of officers launched a high-profile search of the former SNP leader's home and detectives took Peter Murrell in for questioning.

Party members are increasingly worried the ongoing investigation into SNP finances could prove highly damaging politically if there is no conclusion before a general election - expected to be called in the second half of the year.

One SNP veteran said it appeared police and prosecutors were "between a rock and a hard place" over the way forward for the case.

The search of Sturgeon's home lasted two days and multiple boxes of evidence were removed from the detached property in Uddingston, near Glasgow, in full view of the nation's media.

Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, was questioned for several hours before being released without charge.

Sturgeon, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, was arrested and questioned in June last year before also being released without charge.

The investigation into SNP finances was launched in 2021 and is examining how more than £600,000 of donations supposedly ring-fenced for independence campaigning were ultimately spent.

But the lack of public updates on Branchform since last year's search of Sturgeon's home has fuelled speculation on social media.