Humza Yousaf says he sees “no reason” to suspend his predecessor following her arrest.
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First Minister Humza Yousaf says he will not suspend Nicola Sturgeon from the SNP.
The former party leader was arrested and released without charge on Sunday as part of a police investigation into SNP finances.
Mr Yousaf told BBC Scotland he saw “no reason” to suspend a party member who has been released without charge.
Ms Sturgeon has said she is “innocent of any wrongdoing”.
Her arrest follows that of her husband and former party chief executive, Peter Murrell, and the party’s ex-treasurer Colin Beattie in April.
Both were also released without charge pending further investigations.
Mr Yousaf said the news of his predecessor’s arrest was “personally painful” due to their “long-standing friendship”.
He added: “I’ll not suspend Nicola’s membership. I’ll treat her in the same way I’ve treated, for example, Colin Beattie.
“Those that have been released without charge I see no reason to suspend their membership.”
Image source, Getty Images
Mr Beattie, the SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, resigned as SNP treasurer following his arrest.
Mr Murrell had quit as chief executive in March after taking responsibility for misleading the media about party membership numbers.
Earlier SNP MSPs Ash Regan and Michelle Thomson urged Ms Sturgeon to quit the party while the police investigation continues.
Angus MacNeil, the SNP MP, said there should be “political distance” between the SNP and its former leader.
Asked if his predecessor should resign the whip, Mr Yousaf said: “There’s no pressure on her to do so from the party or from me as leader of the SNP.”
He added: “She has been released without charge and I think it is so important that presumption of innocence is upheld.”
Opposition party MSPs have joined calls for Ms Sturgeon to be suspended, with Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross saying the SNP to “follow their own precedent”.
And Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “If you look at previous incidents in the SNP normally people in that position have been suspended. And the question for Humza Yousaf is whether he is strong enough or whether he is too weak to show leadership.”
Police launched their investigation after complaints were made relating to more than £600,000 donated to the SNP by activists.
An SNP spokesman said the party was co-operating fully with the investigation.
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Ms Sturgeon was taken into custody and questioned by detectives at a police station after she attended voluntarily shortly after 10:00 on Sunday.
She was released from custody at about 17:25 on the same day.
Police said a report would be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
In a statement released on Twitter, Ms Sturgeon said she was “innocent of any wrongdoing”.
“To find myself in the situation I did today when I am certain I have committed no offence is both a shock and deeply distressing,” she added.
“I know that this ongoing investigation is difficult for people, and I am grateful that so many continue to show faith in me and appreciate that I would never do anything to harm either the SNP or the country.”