Scotland's Lord Advocate could finally be stripped of a role in the Scottish Government's Cabinet amid major legal reforms. Concerns have been raised about current Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain's role in the ongoing Operation Branchform probe into the SNP's finances, which has seen Ms Sturgeon and Nat MSP Colin Beattie arrested and released without charge. She has not been involved in this case, as it is standard practice that any case regarding politicians is dealt with by prosecutors without the involvement of the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General. "This dual role is clearly untenable and John Swinney's government must be fully transparent about the terms and timescales of this review." Calls were made by former SNP minister Alex Neil to allow an independent law expert to decide on the Operation Branchform charges amid fears it was taking too long.

Source: Express May 29, 2024 10:25 UTC