Nicola Sturgeon declares Operation Branchform investigation in application to be SNP candidate

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Nicola Sturgeon had to declare she remains under police investigation as part of her application to stand as an SNP candidate at the 2026 Holyrood election.

It is understood that vetting forms handed to potential candidates by party bosses included a question on whether the applicant was subject to criminal inquiries.

An SNP spokesperson told The Times: "This has been a standard part of the application form for over a decade."

Sturgeon remains under investigation as part of Operation Branchform, which was launched by Police Scotland in 2021.

Detectives are examining how the party spent more than £600,000 of donations intended for fighting a second independence referendum.

Sturgeon was one of three senior party figures arrested and questioned by police last year, before being released without charge pending further investigations.

A party source told the newspaper: "Anyone who has been under investigation for a serious crime, whose husband has been charged with embezzling our own members' funds, shouldn't even be considered for standing."

Annie Wells, a Scottish Conservative MSP, said the declaration was "a major source of embarrassment for Nicola Sturgeon".

She added: "It is a pretty extraordinary situation for any candidate to be confirming they are under police investigation, not least a former SNP first minister."

Sturgeon has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

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