Operation Branchform cops urged to give update on anniversary of Peter Murrell arrest

dailyrecord.co.uk:

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 on-going 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 saw multiple boxes of evidence removed from the detached property in Glasgow's eastern suburbs in full view of the nation's media.Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, was questioned for several hours on April 5 last year before being released without charge.Sturgeon, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, was later arrested and questioned in June 2023 before being released without charge.The investigation into SNP finances was launched by police 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 Operation Branchform since last year's search of Sturgeon's home has fuelled speculation on social media.Alex Neil, a veteran SNP member and former government minister, told the Record: "There's no doubt at all that as this drags on, it is not helpful to the SNP politically."It has already done a fair bit of damage, not least to the morale of rank-and-file members of