SEVEN police officers were filmed entering the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh this morning as the party's former chief executive Peter Murrell was arrested at the home he shares with his wife former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Officers spent most of the day searching the property before being photographed shortly after 4.30pm leaving the building with six large crates which loaded into police vans.

Mr Murrell's arrest comes just nine days after the end of the SNP's election which saw Humza Yousaf, regarded as the party's continuity candidate, succeed Ms Sturgeon as SNP leader and First Minister, defeating rival candidates Kate Forbes and Ash Regan.

READ MORE: Peter Murrell resigns as SNP chief executive with immediate effect

The fractious contest saw Mr Murrell resign as the SNP's chief executive after 20 years following a row over transparency in the party in the wake of false membership numbers being given to the media.

Calls were also made by Ms Forbes and Ms Regan for an indepedent auditor to be brought ino oversee the vote to replace Ms Sturgeon.

The Herald:

Police offficers loading crates, carried from SNP HQ in Edinburgh, into vans. Photo PA.

The complex investigation which lead to Mr Murrell's arrest this morning began more than two years ago in March 2021. It's focus was into the SNP's funding and finances.

READ MORE: Ash Regan team discuss court action to pause SNP leadership contest

Uniformed police constables in dark clothing were captured on video going into the building at Gordon Lamb House, Jackson's Entry, off the Royal Mile, near the Scottish Parliament.

Some of the officers were carrying small crates with others carrying what appeared like small tool boxes, a torch and a clipboard.

Two other police constables wearing high visibility vests were photographed inside the entrance of the building while four police vans were photographed outside the SNP headquarters. Passers-by and onlookers standing on nearby balconies overlooking the scene were filmed watching the police activity.

READ MORE: Who is Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive?

Officers also cordoned off an area outside Mr Murrell's and Ms Sturgeon's house in Glasgow before Mr Murrell was taken into police custody for questioning. Searches of the property are understood to be taking place as part of an investigation.

The SNP has said the party has been "co operating fully" with an ongoing police investigation.

A spokesman for the party said its governing body, the National Executive Committee, NEC, met on Saturday and agreed to a "review of governance and transparency".

The Herald:

Police at SNP headquarters in Edinburgh this morning. Photo PA.

“Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. 

“At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency – that will be taken forward in the coming weeks," the SNP spokesman said.

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Mr Murrell, 58, who had been party chief executive since 1999, was the man responsible for the day-to-day running of the SNP, which was at one point the second largest party in the UK.

That job meant Mr Murrell was one of the most influential figures in Scottish politics, despite having never been an elected politician or a figure much in front of the cameras.

The Herald:

Police at the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh this morning.  Photo PA.

However, he announced he was resigning with immediate effect on March 18 amid the row over the party's membership numbers and transparency.

During the contest Ms Forbes’ campaign team released a statement night citing “concerns” around the “integrity” of the ballot process. It was later backed by Ms Regan's team who it then emerged had discussed with lawyers the possibility of pausing the race amid their concerns. 

The SNP at the time insisted Mr Murrell had no role in overseeing the leadership contest with the party's national secretary Lorna Finn taking on the responsibilityy.

Votes were counted by by Mi Voice, a Southampton-based polling firm which the party has previously used.

Mr Murrell's resignation came almost a quarter of a century after he succeeded Michael Russell, the current SNP president, as the party's chief executive.

The former constitution secretary in the Scottish Government has since taken on the role or chier executive on a voluntary basis until a permanent successor has been recruited.

Before becoming SNP chief executive Mr Murrell had worked in the constituency office of former SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond.

Mr Murrell married Ms Sturgeon, then SNP depute leader and deputy first minister, in 2010, with Mr Salmond, the then first minister, among the guests.

Mr Murrell resigned as party chief executive on March 18 after the party's ruling body threatened to hold a vote of no confidence in him. The previous day had seen Murray Foote, the SNP's head of communication at Holyrood step down from his role amid the membership figures row.

In a statement announcing his immediate resignation that day, Mr Murrell admitted he was responsible for the 'misleading' claims about membership figures – which the party had repeatedly said stood at around 100,000, but were actually around 72,000.

Mr Murrell is regarded by many as having played a key role in transforming the party's fortunes, helping to modernise SNP operations.

While membership has fallen from the peak of about 125,000 achieved in 2018, to the recently revealed total of 72,186, the party remains the largest and most dominant political force in Scotland.

And with Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon at the helm, the SNP has cemented its electoral dominance, having been in power at Holyrood since 2007 and won every election north of the border since then.

However, critics of the SNP under Ms Sturgeon's leadership, both inside and outside the party, long questioned whether it is appropriate to have the key roles of leader and chief executive held by one couple.

In a statement today, Police Scotland said: “A 58 year old man has today, Wednesday, 5 April 2023, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party. 

“The man is in custody and has been questioned by Police Scotland detectives. 

“Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. 

“A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.”The force also cautioned against social media gossip, saying the matter was “active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981.”