Here are the headlines from another busy day of reaction to Nicola Sturgeon's arrest and release:

• First Minister Humza Yousaf says he will not suspend Nicola Sturgeon from the SNP
• The former party leader was arrested and released without charge on Sunday as part of a police investigation into SNP finances
• Yousaf told BBC Scotland he saw "no reason" to suspend a party member who has been released without charge
• Sturgeon has said she is "innocent of any wrongdoing"

• Earlier, SNP MSPs Ash Regan and Michelle Thomson urged Nicola Sturgeon to quit the party while the police investigation continues
• SNP MP Angus MacNeil said there should be "political distance" between the party and its former leader
• And Conservative and Labour MSPs said Yousaf should suspend Sturgeon from the party
• Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross accuses Yousaf of being a "weak leader"
• Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, says the SNP are "incompetent and dysfunctional"

That's all from the live page team today. The editor was Paul McLaren and the writers were Bryn Palmer, Auryn Cox, Craig Hutchison and Andrew Picken.

Thank you for joining us.

Here's some more reaction to Humza Yousaf's decision not to suspend Nicola Srugeon, this time from the Scottish Conservative chairman.

Craig Hoy says: “This is the action of a weak leader unable to stand up to the predecessor to whom he owes his job.

“Humza Yousaf’s claim that he has ‘no reason’ to suspend Nicola Sturgeon from the SNP is fooling no one. He knows, as everyone else does, that there’s a clear precedent in his party for MPs and MSPs under investigation to be suspended until the conclusion of their case.

Hoy says the first minister is "hopelessly compromised" by what he calls "the fact he only won the leadership election thanks to the backing of Nicola Sturgeon and her inner circle".

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross took to twitter, external to call Humza Yousaf a "weak leader unable to stand up to his predecessor" after the first minister announced he had no plans to suspend Nicola Sturgeon.

"The SNP should follow their own precedent and suspend Nicola Sturgeon while she is being investigated by the police," he said.

Image source, Reuters

Stephen Kerr, the Conservative MSP for Central Scotland, also called the FM weak on twitter, external.

"Nicola Sturgeon is under investigation by the police," he said.

"Can you imagine Humza, or any SNP [leader] for that matter, accepting the excuse "they were released" to avoid suspending a member of another party in this circumstance?

"Yet that's the only answer he's got for us today. Weak."

Anas Sarwar has been giving his reaction to calls for Nicola Sturgeon to be suspended from the SNP.

He says the last 48 hours in British politics "have been extraordinary".

The Scottish Labour leader goes on to say of the SNP: "This is a party mired in scandal, mired in division and trying to get by day by day.

"Instead we are seeing an incompetent and dysfunctional SNP government at a time when we need true leadership.

"People across this country are being failed."

He says the decision on whether to suspend Nicola Sturgeon or not is ultimately for the SNP.

However, he adds: "If you look at previous incidents in the SNP, normally people in that position have been suspended and the question for Humza Yousaf is whether he's strong enough or too weak to show leadership."

Pressure on Yousaf is only going to pile uppublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 12 June 2023

13:05 BST 12 June 2023

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Humza Yousaf staked out a clear position when it came to previous arrests in this same case – no suspensions and a presumption of innocence – and he is determined to stick to it now.

Aside from the fact of their close personal relationship, he knows that taking action against Ms Sturgeon would only set further hares running.

He would rather get on with the “day job” and talk about literally anything else, rather than adding further fuel to this news cycle.

Opposition parties are only too happy to make hay with this, calling on Ms Sturgeon to step back from her SNP membership.

They may hope that she takes the decision out of Mr Yousaf’s hands.

But they are also very keen to pin the story to the first minister by making it a question of his judgement in not suspending his predecessor.

They are sure to ramp up the pressure further when he returns to Holyrood tomorrow.

The first minister is also asked why others such as Michelle Thomson lost the SNP whip during Nicola Sturgeon's time as leader, but the former first minister has not.

"I can only account for decisions that are made by me," says Humza Yousaf.

"I have been leader now for 11 weeks. I have shown a consistency in terms of the approach.

"Others have been released without charge and I propose to treat Nicola Sturgeon exactly the same.

"I can’t account for decisions that were made before I was leader of the SNP."

"I will do what I believe is right to the values of natural justice" with regards to Nicola Sturgeon, says Humza Yousaf.

"Nicola Sturgeon, like Colin Beattie, like Peter Murrell, was released without charge. Therefore I see no reason for their membership to be suspended."

Asked if Sturgeon should voluntarily resign, the FM adds: "There is no pressure on her to do so from me or the SNP."

Image source, Getty Images

Humza Yousaf confirms to the BBC that he will not suspend his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon from the SNP.

The current first minister says he will treat Sturgeon in the same way as, for example Colin Beattie, the party's former treasurer who was also arrested and released without charge.

"I see no reason to suspend their membership" he tells BBC Scotland.

Yousaf says Sturgeon's arrest was "quite painful personally" given their "long-standing friendship" but he has to "separate that from the really important job I have got to do as first minister".

First Minister Humza Yousaf says he will not suspend Nicola Sturgeon from the SNP.

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon is now facing calls from within her own party to resign the SNP whip.

But what happens next in the police investigation?

Despite the first minister's release, police have said the case remains active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981.

Under the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, police can release a suspect for further investigation, but they can be re-arrested at a later date.

Over the coming days and weeks, the force is likely to continue to investigate and gather more evidence. They can also ask for more guidance from 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 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 here.

If you're just joining us this lunchtime, here are the latest headlines:

• First Minister Humza Yousaf should consider suspending Nicola Sturgeon from the SNP, a former Scottish government minister has said
• SNP MSP and former leadership candidate Ash Regan called for "decisive action" after Sturgeon was arrested by police and released without charge on Sunday as part of an investigation into SNP finances

• It comes after SNP MP Angus MacNeil joined opposition parties in calling for Sturgeon to be suspended from the party - saying "this soap-opera has gone far enough"
• Another SNP MSP, Michelle Thomson, is also calling on the former first minister to resign the SNP whip
• Scotland's former first minister was arrested by police at 10:09 on Sunday
• She was questioned by detectives for more than seven hours before being released from custody at 17:24 without charge, pending further investigations
• Sturgeon later issued a statement saying that she knows "beyond doubt" that she is innocent of any wrongdoing, and that she intends to return to parliament
• Police Scotland said a report would be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Image source, HO

An SNP MSP has called on Nicola Sturgeon to resign the SNP whip.

Michelle Thomson says in a statement on twitter, external: "Some eight years ago when an MP, I was required to resign the SNP whip although I was never personally under investigation and was certainly not arrested.

"After careful consideration I feel that the right thing for the former first minister to do is resign the SNP whip. This is not because she doesn't deserve to be treated as innocent until proven guilty - she does, but because her values should be consistent."

Thomson was formerly an SNP MP, who left the party after a solicitor linked to her property firm was investigated in connection with allegations of mortgage fraud.

She always denied any wrongdoing and the probe was dropped by the Crown Office because of a lack of evidence.

In 2021 she was elected as the MSP for Falkirk East.

You can read more here.

Who has - or has not - been suspended by the SNP?published at 11:42 British Summer Time 12 June 2023

11:42 BST 12 June 2023

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Image source, PA Media

There has been much talk this morning of past suspensions from the SNP, and whether they suggest Nicola Sturgeon should continue as a member.

The most immediate precedent comes from this same investigation, which has seen two other SNP figures arrested and then released without charge.

Colin Beattie stepped down as SNP treasurer, but kept his party membership and continues to sit as an SNP MSP.

Similarly Peter Murrell – Ms Sturgeon’s husband and until recently the party’s chief executive – has not publicly renounced his membership and First Minister Humza Yousaf says he is “innocent until proven guilty”.

There have been other cases, covering a broad range of allegations, which provide a rather muddy picture of the party’s approach to discipline.

Ms Sturgeon’s predecessor as first minister, Alex Salmond, resigned his membership when he was accused of sexual offences. He was ultimately cleared of the charges at trial, but never returned to the party.

Image source, PA Media

Others have also opted to resign or voluntarily “step back” from the party whip or membership – like the former MP Natalie McGarry, who was ultimately jailed for embezzlement.

Michelle Thomson also resigned the whip at Westminster amid allegations of financial irregularities, but would later say she was forced into the move, external by party bosses. The police investigation was dropped, and Ms Thomson now sits as an SNP MSP at Holyrood.

However, others have been suspended – like the MP Margaret Ferrier, who is currently suspended from the House of Commons after breaching Covid restrictions.

The former MSP Mark McDonald was also suspended amid harassment allegations, having resigned as a government minister. He was also suspended from Holyrood following a standards committee probe and sat as an independent member until the 2021 election.

Obviously many of these cases are in no way comparable to Ms Sturgeon’s situation – and there does not seem to be a clear precedent for the party to follow in terms of how it handles this.

Kevin Pringle has today started in his role as the Scottish Government's new head of communications and the first minister's official spokesman.

He served in a similar role from 2007 to 2012 under Alex Salmond.

Mr Pringle started working for the SNP in 1989 and was credited with helping to transform the party ahead of its historic victory in the Scottish Parliament election in 2007, which saw Mr Salmond become first minister, and its subsequent electoral success.

He returns to the government amid calls for the suspension of Nicola Sturgeon following her arrest yesterday as part of the ongoing investigation into the SNP's finances.

• Read more

Humza Yousaf's new spin doctor will face his "first big test" in dealing with the fallout from Nicola Sturgeon's arrest, says political journalist John Ferguson.

From today, Kevin Pringle is the Scottish government's new head of communications and the first minister's official spokesman - a role he previously held for five years under Alex Salmond.

"Humza Yousaf will be saying to him, ‘Look, this is a crisis, what do I do about it?’ It will be be very interesting what Kevin advises him to do," Ferguson, political editor of the Sunday Mail, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme.

Ferguson believes that although there appears to be "good reason" to suspend Sturgeon from the SNP, the FM may decide to "clear out the old guard" at SNP headquarters to "put some distance between the new administration and the figures looming large over them".

"To some extent Humza can do nothing about this crisis," Ferguson added. "It is going to come back to haunt him time and again - but what he can control is how close he appears to be to Nicola Sturgeon.”

Image source, Google

Nicola Sturgeon attended the police station yesterday "by arrangement", but what does that mean?

Nick McKerrell, a legal expert at Glasgow Caledonian University, explains to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme this is not necessarily unusual in a criminal investigation.

Mr McKerrell says the police can either arrest someone and detain them for 12 hours, or they can inform someone that they'd like to interview them regarding a crime and then arrange a time for them to come in.

That's not that unusual - particularly in a lengthy police investigation as this seems to be, explains the academic.

He points out being arrested can counterintuitively be helpful to the person arrested because "it makes their legal position much clearer, in terms of their rights, in terms of their access to a solicitor, all of which will be explained to them by police when they are arrested".

"Anyone accused with a crime has a human right not to face an unnecessary delay when that charge is brought or not against them."

Despite Nicola Sturgeon's release without charge, police have said the case remains active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981.

It 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 and 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 here.

Image source, Getty Images

While Humza Yousaf is facing calls to suspend Nicola Sturgeon from the SNP, it would be a "surprise" if the current first minister did so, believes political journalist Steph Brawn.

The journalist, who writes for The National newspaper which supports independence, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that either a suspension or Sturgeon resigning from the party could send the wrong message.

"People talk about suspending her because the situation is a distraction for the SNP, but I can’t really imagine the kind of attention it would bring if Humza Yousaf was to suspend his predecessor of eight years, one of most high-profile members of the SNP," she said.

“If she resigns from the party now, after putting out quite a significant statement that she is beyond doubt she is innocent, what kind of image does that create?

"That brings the wrong kind of attention they perhaps don’t need after this.”

If you're just joining us, here's a recap of the story so far:

• Humza Yousaf should consider suspending Nicola Sturgeon from the SNP, a former minister has said
• Ash Regan called for "decisive action" after Sturgeon was arrested by police and released without charge on Sunday as part of an investigation into SNP finances
• It comes after SNP MP Angus MacNeil joined opposition parties in calling for Sturgeon to be suspended from the party - saying "this soap-opera has gone far enough"
• Scotland's former first minister was arrested by police at 10:09 on Sunday
• She was questioned by detectives for more than seven hours before being released from custody at 17:24 without charge, pending further investigations
• Sturgeon later issued a statement saying that she knows "beyond doubt" that she is innocent of any wrongdoing, and that she intends to return to parliament
• Police Scotland said a report would be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service