Sturgeon Cleared: The SNP Scandal and Fallout

Former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon has been cleared in a police investigation into the SNP's finances, concluding a nearly four-year-old probe. Her exoneration comes amid a tough phase for the SNP, which has lost significant political standing. Sturgeon announced her retirement from frontline politics.

Nicola Sturgeon, former First Minister of Scotland, has been exonerated in a police investigation concerning the finances of the Scottish National Party (SNP). The investigation, which began in 2021, questioned the use of funds intended for Scottish independence campaigning and had cast a shadow over Sturgeon's tenure.

Cleared after a brief arrest in June 2023, Sturgeon's situation has been a significant source of embarrassment for the pro-independence SNP that has largely led Scottish politics over the past two decades. Meanwhile, support for Scottish independence remains consistent with the 2014 referendum results, when 55% voted against leaving the United Kingdom.

The SNP recently faced its worst electoral defeat since 2010, losing many seats to the Labour Party. In the wake of her exoneration, Sturgeon's estranged husband, Peter Murrell, appeared in court on embezzlement charges, as Sturgeon announced she would not seek re-election, marking her retreat from politics.

(With inputs from agencies.)