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Detectives investigating SNP finances are said to be searching for sim cards from \u201cburner\u201d mobile phones that are often used to stay anonymous.<\/p>\n
Police Scotland officers want to examine information from sim cards which are commonly used in the untraceable phones, according the Sunday Mail.<\/p>\n
The newspaper said the purchase of luxury pens, designer kitchenware and even a fridge freezer by SNP officials is also being scrutinised as part of the ongoing probe.<\/p>\n
Nicola Sturgeon\u2019s husband Peter Murrell and ex-treasurer Colin Beattie have been arrested and interviewed by police under caution before being released without charge.<\/p>\n
Operation Branchform was launched as police inquiry into how more than \u00a3660,000 in donations, earmarked for an independence referendum, had been used.<\/p>\n
On the sim cards, a source with knowledge of the probe told the Sunday Mail: \u201cThey want to know the numbers connected with these cards which could also contain numbers called and text messages.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not uncommon for people to have unregistered mobile sim cards which can be bought from any shop, there\u2019s nothing wrong with having a so-called burner phone but police want a record of these phones in the SNP.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another source said there was an \u201cextensive list\u201d of items cops are interested in obtaining \u2013 including pens, pots and pans, jewellery and a fridge freezer.<\/p>\n
Nicola Sturgeon\u2019s house has been searched in police probe <\/p>\n
(PA)<\/p>\n
Despite unanswered questions about the party\u2019s finances, depute leader Keir Brown described the SNP as the \u201cmost transparent party\u201d on Sunday. \u201cWe are the most transparent, most successful party … in Scotland,\u201d the senior SNP figure told BBC Scotland\u2019s Sunday Show.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to increase that transparency. It is my ambition \u2013 and I know that it\u2019s Humza [Yousaf]\u2019s \u2013 to make sure that we are the most transparent party in Scotland and that we set the standard for transparency and shame other parties.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy appeared on the programme after Mr Brown as he called the remarks \u201cbizarre\u201d and claimed the\u00a0SNP\u00a0was \u201caddicted to secrecy\u201d.<\/p>\n
In an earlier interview with Sky News, Mr Brown admitted that he had not been notified until recently that party auditors resigned.<\/p>\n
SNP leader Humza Yousaf only learned of the revelation on auditors after he replaced Ms Sturgeon in the top job \u2013 despite the auditors stepping aside in around October.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week a senior SNP figure told\u00a0The Independent\u00a0it was likely that Ms Sturgeon would also be interviewed under caution, given that she is one of the three names believed to be on party accounts.<\/p>\n
Some of the party\u2019s MPs and MSPs have also said it is \u201cinevitable\u201d that Ms Sturgeon will be questioned by police under caution in the weeks ahead.<\/p>\n
An SNP spokesperson said: “We have no comment on a live police investigation.\u201d A Police Scotland spokesperson said: \u201cAs the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster email Detectives investigating SNP finances are said to be searching for sim cards from \u201cburner\u201d mobile phones that are often used to stay anonymous. Police Scotland officers want to examine information from sim cards which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n