We are drawing this live page to a close, but here's a reminder of the key points:

• Nicola Sturgeon was arrested by police at 10:09 this morning in connection with the ongoing investigation into the SNP's funding and finances
• Scotland's former first minister was questioned by detectives for more than seven hours
• She was released from custody at 17:24 without charge, pending further investigations
• Ms Sturgeon later issued a statement saying that she knows "beyond doubt" that she is innocent of any wrongdoing
• She also says that she intends to return to parliament
• Police Scotland say a report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

You can read more on the story here.

The editor today was Graeme Esson. Mary McCool, Nichola Rutherford, Heather Sharp, Jamie Whitehead, Debbie Jackson and Craig Hutchison were the writers.

Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University, tells the BBC that the arrest of Nicola Sturgeon may not have as much impact on voters as the drama might suggest.

He says there have been five opinion polls conducted by four different companies since the arrest of her husband, Peter Murrell, at the beginning of April.

"The level of support for the SNP in the polls, at 38%, is exactly what it was on average in the polls being conducted after Humza Yousaf became leader of the SNP towards the back end of March.

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Three things immediately jump out from Nicola Sturgeon’s statement.

The most obvious is her vehement denial of any wrongdoing, expressed in emphatic terms.

Another is her pledge to return to Holyrood in short order - something which will no doubt have the parliamentary press pack sharpening their pencils and doorstep questions.

The third highlight is something that isn’t mentioned at all - the question of Ms Sturgeon’s continued membership of the SNP, which some, including one of the party’s own MPs, have been questioning.

When her predecessor Alex Salmond was accused of sexual assault in 2018, he swiftly resigned from the party with a pledge to clear his name. He was subsequently cleared of charges, but never did return to the SNP, instead setting up his own Alba Party.

Ms Sturgeon may well prefer the approach of Colin Beattie, who quit as SNP treasurer but remained within the party after his own arrest and release.

There is a recent precedent there - but this will doubtless still spark questions to Humza Yousaf about how he intends to handle the latest developments.

Remarkable shift in the political landscapepublished at 19:16 British Summer Time 11 June 2023

19:16 BST 11 June 2023

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Image source, getty images

It’s remarkable to step back and look how far UK politics has moved since the last general election in 2019.

Boris Johnson won a majority in that poll, but has now quit - not just as prime minister, but as an MP as well.

Then-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has lost the party whip, while Jo Swinson lost her Scottish seat in that election and quit as Lib Dem leader soon after.

Nicola Sturgeon has exited as first minister and SNP leader, and now been interviewed as a suspect in a police investigation into party finances.

So there will be a full new line-up of leaders next time out.

The next contest isn’t even due for another year at least - a period which feels like an impossibly long time in politics given the current pace of change.

MP Neale Hanvey, the parliamentary group leader for the Alba Party, has called on SNP leader Humza Yousaf to "insulate" the wider independence movement from his party's "travails".

He proposed the movement should "assume the heavy lifting" of the campaign through a cross-party and non-party convention "as opposed to any internal SNP discussion".

He also said that the next general election should be fought on a Scotland United for Independence ticket, with one pro-independence candidate in each constituency.

"As these ongoing difficulties for the SNP are unlikely to conclude imminently, it is imperative that the independence movement consider how to decouple the campaign from them and continue to advance our cause," he said.

Nicola Sturgeon has also declared her intention to return to the Scottish Parliament.

In the statement issued after her release, she thanked everyone who had sent her messages of support in recent weeks.

"Thank you also to my close circle of family and friends who are giving me much-needed strength at this time," she added.

"Finally, while I will take a day or two to process this latest development, I intend to be back in parliament soon where I will continue to represent my Glasgow Southside constituents to the very best of my ability."

Image source, PA Media

Nicola Sturgeon has issued a statement following her release from police custody, in which she maintains that she is innocent.

"To find myself in the situation I did today when I am certain I have committed no offence is both a shock and deeply distressing," she said.

"I know that this ongoing investigation is difficult for people, and I am grateful that so many continue to show faith in me and appreciate that I would never do anything to harm either the SNP or the country."

On Friday, Humza Yousaf told Laura Kuenssberg that Nicola Sturgeon was in a good place and doing well.

He spoke about his predecessor as part of an extended pre-recorded interview with the BBC presenter.

The interview took place two days before Ms Sturgeon was arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the SNP.

Image source, Getty Images

Now that Nicola Sturgeon has been released without charge, what could happen next?

The former first minister was taken into custody and questioned by detectives at a police station after she attended voluntarily shortly after 10:00.

Officers had up to 12 hours from the time Ms Sturgeon was arrested before they had to decide whether to charge her with a crime or release her while their inquiries continue.

She was released from custody, pending further inquiries, at about 17:25 on the same day - well before the deadline expired.

Ms Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell, who had been the SNP's chief executive, was arrested in April, then SNP treasurer Colin Beattie was arrested two weeks later. Both were also released without charge pending further investigations.

Over the coming days and weeks, Police Scotland is likely to continue to investigate and gather more evidence.

Read more about what could happen next here.

Image source, PA Media

The statement from Police Scotland reveals that Nicola Sturgeon was questioned by detectives for more than seven hours.

The former first minister was arrested at 10:09 and released from custody at 17:24 without charge, pending further investigation.

Ms Sturgeon had been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the SNP.

Her current whereabouts are not clear, but members of the media have set up cameras outside her home in Glasgow.

Nicola Sturgeon has been released without charge pending further investigations after being arrested by police earlier on Sunday.

Police Scotland confirmed that the former first minister had been arrested at 10:09 and then released from custody at 17:42 after being questioned by detectives.

"A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service," said the force in a statement.

"The matter remains active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media.

"As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further."

SNP MP Joanna Cherry KC is among the politicians who have reacted to the news of Ms Sturgeon's arrest.

On Twitter, she said: "This is a sad and difficult day for Scotland & for my party.

"As I have said before I believe passionately in due process, respecting the integrity of an ongoing investigation & the principle of innocent until proven guilty & I shall not be commenting further."

Image source, PA Media

Nicola Sturgeon is the third person to be arrested by police investigating the finances of the Scottish National Party.

Both Peter Murrell - Ms Sturgeon's husband and the SNP's fiormer chief executive - and Colin Beattie, the party's ex-treasurer, have been released without charge after questioning.

Mr Beattie is the MSP for Midlothian and Musselburgh and a former international banker.

He was SNP treasurer when the party raised £666,953 through referendum-related appeals between 2017 and 2020, with a pledge to spend the funds on the independence campaign.

Questions were raised after its accounts showed the party had just under £97,000 in the bank at the end of 2019, and total net assets of about £272,000.

After 16 years as treasurer, Mr Beattie was defeated in an internal election by Douglas Chapman in 2020, but returned to the role when Mr Chapman resigned a year later.

Mr Chapman quit after saying he had "not received the support or financial information" that was needed to carry out his duties as treasurer.

Police began their investigation of the SNP finances - Operation Branchform - in July 2021.

Mr Beattie stood down as treasurer for a second time in April, days after his arrest.

• Colin Beattie resigns as SNP treasurer after arrest
• SNP treasurer Colin Beattie released without charge

Image source, PA Media

Peter Murrell was the chief executive of the Scottish National Party for more than two decades but he was perhaps most well known for being married to Nicola Sturgeon.

She was deputy first minister in charge of the health brief when they married in 2010; he had been SNP chief for 11 years.

Murrell, 58, largely stayed out of the limelight during Ms Sturgeon's tenure at Bute House, appearing together only at party conferences, outside polling stations and at official events such as the Queen's Jubilee concert.

But he came under scrutiny during an inquiry into the government's handling of complaints against Alex Salmond, when he denied plotting against the former first minister.

And he was back in the spotlight last December when it was confirmed that he had given a loan of £107,620 to the SNP to help out with "cash flow" issues.

During the leadership contest which followed Ms Sturgeon's resignation, Mr Murrell was linked to a row about party membership and who would be voting in the election. It would ultimately lead to his resignation.

Weeks later he was arrested by police investigting SNP finances, before being released without charge pending further investigations.

• Who is Peter Murrell? One half of Scotland's power couple

Image source, PA Media

Over the coming days and weeks, Police Scotland is likely to continue to investigate and gather more evidence. They can also ask for guidance from the body which prosecutes crimes in Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).

If a suspect is charged with a crime, they generally cannot be questioned again by the police, although they can make a statement.

Ultimately, the detectives will send what is called a standard prosecution report to COPFS.

Prosecutors will then consider whether there is sufficient evidence to suggest a crime was committed and that the suspect was responsible.

They will take the public interest into account. That can be influenced by the particular circumstances of the case - for example, whether the person involved was in a position of trust or authority.

If they feel the evidence meets the necessary tests, the case will go to court.

Alternatively, COPFS can instruct the police to carry out further inquiries if they decide there is insufficient evidence.

If they are still not satisfied there is enough to justify a prosecution, the case would go no further.

Read more: Why was Nicola Sturgeon arrested and what happens next?

If you're just joining us, here's a quick recap of today's events:

• Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the SNP
• Police confirmed a 52-year-old woman was taken into custody as a suspect and is being questioned by detectives
• A spokeswoman for Ms Sturgeon confirmed she had attended a police interview by arrangement on Sunday
• The former SNP leader was then arrested and questioned by officers

• Police Scotland launched their Operation Branchform investigation two years ago after complaints were made about what happened to £666,954 that was donated to the SNP by activists for a future independence referendum campaign
• The party's accounts later accounts showed it had just under £97,000 in the bank at the end of 2019, and total net assets of about £272,000.
• This is a live case, so there's a limit to what journalists can report

SNP leader struggling to get out of Sturgeon's shadowpublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 11 June 2023

16:55 BST 11 June 2023

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Humza Yousaf ran for the SNP leadership as the Nicola Sturgeon “continuity candidate”, but has spent his time in the job so far struggling to get out from under her shadow.

His first big Sunday sit-down interview with Laura Kuenssberg this morning has been blown out of the news agenda, just as his first policy speech as first minister was overshadowed by a previous arrest in this investigation.

For weeks he couldn’t walk through the Scottish Parliament without being doorstepped about police inquiries, and Holyrood is guaranteed to be a circus again on Tuesday when MSPs are back in session.

Both he and indeed Ms Sturgeon had hoped they could start to move forward and establish themselves in their new roles.

Mr Yousaf has embarked on his own policy initiatives - tearing up some of his predecessor’s plans - while Ms Sturgeon has started taking speaking engagements and posting on Instagram about passing her driving theory test.

But now both have been dragged back into dealing with issues they would far rather leave in the rear view mirror.

The SNP's Angus MacNeil, the MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar covering the Outer Hebrides, has called for Nicola Sturgeon to be suspended.

On Twitter, he said: "This soap-opera has gone far enough, Nicola Sturgeon suspended others from the SNP for an awful lot less!

"Time for political distance until the investigation ends either way."

Image source, Reuters

Nicola Sturgeon's arrest means the case is now active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981.

This means everyone has to be careful about what they say to avoid potentially prejudicing any future trial.

This applies to politicians and members of the public on social media as well as broadcasters and newspapers.

The rules around what can and cannot be said about this - or any other - case are interpreted much more strictly in Scotland than in some other parts of the world.

Scotland is not the United States, for example, where pundits merrily speculate about the guilt or innocence of a suspect long before the case goes anywhere near a jury.

Convictions for contempt of court can be punishable by up to two years in prison and/or an unlimited fine.

Read more: Why was Nicola Sturgeon arrested and what happens next?