In a dramatic escalation of the police investigation into Scottish National Party finances, former treasurer Colin Beattie has been formally questioned by detectives over a suspicious £20,000 cash withdrawal and the mysterious disappearance of over £600,000 in party funds.
Intensive Police Grilling
The veteran MSP faced hours of rigorous questioning at a police station in Midlothian as part of Operation Branchform, the ongoing probe into alleged misuse of funds earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning. Beattie, who served as SNP treasurer from 2004 to 2020 and again briefly in 2021, confirmed he attended voluntarily and cooperated fully with authorities.
"I was asked to attend a police interview," Beattie stated. "I have cooperated fully and will continue to do so."
The £20,000 Cash Mystery
Central to the investigation is a substantial £20,000 cash withdrawal from SNP accounts that has raised serious questions among investigators. The timing and purpose of this withdrawal remain unclear, with police examining whether proper financial procedures were followed.
This cash transaction represents just one piece of a much larger financial puzzle that has engulfed Scotland's ruling party in controversy.
Missing Independence Funds
The investigation focuses primarily on what happened to approximately £600,000 raised between 2017 and 2020 specifically for a second independence referendum campaign. Donors contributed to what was marketed as a "ring-fenced" independence fighting fund, yet concerns emerged when the money appeared to have been spent on general party operations.
Former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, the party's former chief executive, have already been arrested and released pending further investigation in this same probe.
Political Fallout Intensifies
The questioning of such a senior figure represents a significant development that could have profound implications for Scotland's political landscape. Beattie, who also serves as convener of the Scottish Parliament's public audit committee, now finds his own financial oversight under scrutiny.
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy declared: "This is yet another deeply concerning development in the ongoing Police Scotland investigation into the SNP's finances."
As the investigation continues to unfold, pressure mounts on SNP leadership to provide transparent answers about the handling of substantial political donations and the financial management that has brought Scotland's governing party under criminal investigation.
