The First Minister Humza Yousaf stated on Monday, June 12, that he has no intentions of suspending Nicola Sturgeon from the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP).

Former SNP leader Sturgeon arrested in regards to party funding probe: report

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Yousaf told BBC Scotland that he saw “no reason” to suspend a party member who has been released without charge.

The former party leader Sturgeon was arrested and released without charge on Sunday as part of a police probe into SNP finances.

Her arrest followed that of her husband, Peter Murrell, who was party’s chief executive, and the party’s ex-treasurer Colin Beattie in April. Both were also released without charge although Beattie had resigned as SNP treasurer following his arrest.

Sturgeon maintains that she is “innocent of any wrongdoing.”

Yousaf said the news of his predecessor’s arrest was “personally painful” due to their “long-standing friendship.”

However, 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.”