“Operation Branchform should be free to pursue its investigation fearlessly without interference from Rishi Sunak.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been reported to the police over comments he made during his speech on the final day of Conservative Party conference.
A Tory conference defined by lies, conspiracy theories and culture wars concluded yesterday after Sunak delivered his keynote address.
Sunak has been reported to police in Scotland over comments made about former first minister Nicola Sturgeon. He made fun of the former SNP leader during his speech after she was arrested and questioned as part of Police Scotland’s Operation Branchform investigation into her party’s finances.
Sturgeon was released without charge after her arrest in June and has denied any wrongdoing.
During his speech Sunak said: “Nicola Sturgeon wanted to go down in the history books as the woman who broke up our country. But it now looks like she may go down for very different reasons.”
Chris McEleny, the general secretary of the rival pro-independence Alba party, said he had reported Sunak to Police Scotland for contempt of court allegations, given that the prime minister’s comments come amid a live police investigation.
McEleny said: “Operation Branchform should be free to pursue its investigation fearlessly without interference from Rishi Sunak.”
He added: “The prime minister is commenting on, and making an assumption about a live Police Scotland investigation.
“In Scotland, contempt applies from arrest, not from charging. Operation Branchform is investigating serious matters of the utmost importance to Scotland and trust in politics.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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