News review of 2023 part two: SNP in turmoil, the King is crowned, and Trump in Scotland

APRIL

The SNP was thrown into disarray after Peter Murrell, its former chief executive and husband to former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, was arrested in connection with an investigation into the party's finances. Mr Murrell was taken into custody and questioned by detectives before being released later the same day without charge last night "pending further investigation"’.

The arrest led to unprecedented scenes as officers raided the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh, a stone's throw away from the Scottish Parliament, as well as the couple's home in South Lanarkshire.

The party’s crisis then deepened further with the arrest of the SNP’s national treasurer. Hours before a major policy speech by the new First Minister Humza Yousaf, it emerged that Colin Beattie had been taken into custody and was being questioned by detectives. He was also later released without charge "pending further investigation".

In her first appearance at Holyrood since the arrest of her husband, Ms Sturgeon insisted the police investigation played no role in her decision to resign and said she would continue as an MSP.

MAY

Former US president Donald Trump flew into Scotland to attend a ceremony to break ground for a second course at one of his Scottish golf resorts, named after his Lewis-born mother. He told reporters it's "great to be home" as he arrived at Aberdeen Airport on his private jet, before heading to Trump International Scotland Course.

Lord Uist, a former Senator of the College of Justice before his retirement in 2021, labelled parts of the Scottish Government's legal reforms "constitutionally repugnant" and warned they may be outside Holyrood's powers, Highlighting both the planned pilot of juryless trials for serious sexual offences such as rape and the plans to allow the Lord Justice General to dismiss judges from the proposed Sexual Offences Court, the legal figure said the legislation could be found to breach the European Convention of Human Rights.

The Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh apologised to SNP MP Joanna Cherry for cancelling her Edinburgh Festival Fringe Show, after she threatened to take legal action. Ms Cherry said she hoped her case will prevent others from being targeted over their views on transgender rights.

A huge security operation was mounted in London for the coronation of King Charles III. The service at Westminster Abbey was watched by an estimated 19 million people on TV with the royal couple later appearing twice on the Buckingham Palace balcony to acknowledge the crowds . The weekend ended with a coronation concert in at Windsor Castle where the Prince of Wales paid tribute to his father saying the late Queen “would be a proud mother”.

A man admitted abducting a primary school aged girl while dressed as a woman before sexually assaulting her repeatedly over more than 24 hours. Andrew Miller, 53, who is also known as Amy George, pleaded guilty to what judge Lord Arthurson branded "abhorrent crimes" of the utmost "deviance and depravity" which were "the realisation of every parent's worst nightmare".

Scottish Labour insisted it would not impose a "cliff-edge end" to oil and gas, after the UK Labour Party declared it would block any new licences for developments in the North Sea. The statement from Scottish Labour was issued as party leader Anas Sarwar faced renewed pressure to clarify his own position, amid claims a widespread ban under Sir Keir Starmer's leadership would be "hugely damaging".

JUNE

Business leaders urged the Scottish Government to learn lessons from the "flawed" rollout of the deposit return scheme as minister Lorna Slater confirmed the plans had effectively been scrapped in their current form. Ms Slater, the circular economy minister, said the deposit return scheme (DRS) "cannot go ahead as currently planned" after the UK Government refused to change its stance on excluding glass.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson defiantly declared "I did not lie" as he sensationally quit as an MP, sparking a fresh crisis in the embattled Conservative Party. He tendered his resignation as he accused a Commons investigation into whether he misled Parliament over "Partygate" of trying to "drive me out". The decision triggered a by-election in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, the west London seat Mr Johnson held by a majority of 7,210 ahead of Labour.

Ms Sturgeon insisted "beyond doubt" she was "innocent of any wrongdoing" after being arrested by police as part of the investigation into the SNP's finances. After a seven-hour interview with police, the former first minister was released without charge, pending further investigations. She released a statement soon after insisting she was innocent and said the ordeal was "deeply distressing".

Mr Yousaf said Scots could face a referendum on the future of monarchy within five years of becoming independent. The First Minister made the admission as he unveiled the latest of the Scottish Government's independence prospectus papers, intended to update and restate the case for Scottish independence.

Ministers were forced "back to the drawing board" on controversial marine protection zones as the policy was scrapped on the last sitting day of parliament. Net Zero secretary Mairi McAllan said the government's plans to implement no-fishing zones in ten per cent of Scottish waters would be changed.

Tributes were paid from across the political divide to Winnie Ewing, the SNP’s first female parliamentarian, who died aged 93. Known as Madame Ecosse, Ewing famously marked her shock victory in the Hamilton by-election in 1967 with the declaration: “Stop the world, Scotland wants to get on.”