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<\/p>\nHumza Yousaf today dismissed claims that the SNP and police were “in cahoots” over the timing of Nicola Sturgeon’s husband’s arrest as a “conspiracy theory”. Officers yesterday swooped in on the Glasgow home Peter Murrell shares with the former Scottish First Minister as part of an investigation into the party’s finances.<\/p>\n
Mr Murrell, the former chief executive of the party, was released on Wednesday evening without charge, pending further investigation.<\/p>\n
Speaking at Bute House today, Mr Yousaf said it was “very, very clear that the governance of the party was not as it should be”.<\/p>\n
Asked if the SNP leadership election would have been affected by Mr Murrell’s arrest had it happened while it was taking place, the new Scottish First Minister said: “To me, that sounds like a bit of a conspiracy theory that somehow we are in cahoots with Police Scotland.<\/p>\n
“The timing of an investigation is absolutely for Police Scotland, that’s not determined by anybody else.”<\/p>\n
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Mr Yousaf admitted the arrest of Mr Murrell and the bitter SNP leadership race, which concluded last week, have had an impact on the nationalist party.<\/p>\n
The SNP leader said: “There’s no doubt the last few weeks and the events of yesterday have been difficult and bruising for the party.<\/p>\n
“But there’s also an opportunity – with a new leader in place and a new chief executive in place, generally a next generation coming through.<\/p>\n
“You’ve seen that with my cabinet, you’ve seen, of course, the Westminster leadership in terms of Stephen Flynn and Mhairi Black.<\/p>\n
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“There’s a huge opportunity for us to re-energise, to refresh, and to make sure we are being as bold and as ambitious as we possibly can be for the people of Scotland.”<\/p>\n
Mr Yousaf’s comments come as the search of Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon’s home entered a second day today as part of an investigation into how £600,000, earmarked for an independence campaign, was spent.<\/p>\n
Several uniformed police officers remained stationed outside the house this afternoon.<\/p>\n
Ms Sturgeon, who announced her shock resignation in February, cancelled a planned appearance at a climate change event in Edinburgh this evening.<\/p>\n
Her spokesperson said she wanted to “keep the focus of the event on the critical issue of the climate emergency”.<\/p>\n
The former Scottish First Minister said through the spokesperson that she would “fully co-operate if required” with police following her husband’s arrest.<\/p>\n