Nicola Sturgeon could be next in line to face arrest in the SNP finance probe. SNP treasurer Colin Beattie was released without charge last night – pending further investigation – after Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell faced the same fate. Senior SNP figures are now preparing for Sturgeon’s “inevitable” arrest, according to reports in The Times. Another SNP political said “They’ve interviewed witnesses and now they are on to suspects. It was the small fry and now it’s the big people”. Sturgeon is the only senior SNP figure named on their accounts yet to be arrested.

Sturgeon has not yet spoken to police, though it has been reported that she intends to fully co-operate with any investigation. She isn’t in the Scottish Parliament this week – apparently to avoid overshadowing Humza Yousaf.  As if the only SNP story anybody is talking about is Yousaf’s agenda…

A Sturgeon arrest could raise yet further questions of the legitimacy of continuity candidate Humza Yousaf’s election. Reports suggest that Peter Murrell had expedited the contest, which followed Sturgeon’s already unexpected resignation. The timing is suspect to say the least. In other news, Kate Forbes has just given an interview to the BBC.

On Friday, a West Midlands Labour politician lost a High Court case over allegations of bribery. Labour candidate Muhammed Afzal brought a petition to challenge the Liberal Democrats’ victory in the 2022 May elections. The basis of his claim was that the LibDems falsely claimed Labour had bribed voters with branded packs of dates. Unfortunately for Muhammed, the Liberal Democrats were able to produce video evidence of apparent electoral law breaking… 

In his ruling, Judge Richard Foster gave permission for the petition’s withdrawal, saying “the effect of this judgment will be that the Respondents will have been vindicated”. He also elaborated on the potential for further legal action to take place:

“The Director of Public Prosecutions is a party to these proceedings, and although he has taken no part in them he has been served with all relevant material at each stage and I am able to arrange for this judgment to be referred to him which I shall do. He is under a statutory duty by virtue of section 181 (1) of RPA “to make such inquiries and institute such prosecutions as the circumstances of the case appear to him to require”. Additionally, it is open to any party to refer the matter to West Midlands Police directly who will not hitherto have seen the Respondents’ evidence.”

The judge added “there is conclusive evidence that indeed [Cllr Afzal] and his supporters did supply electors with packets of dates containing Labour Party stickers on a widespread basis during the election campaign”. Co-conspirators can trust Guido will keep you up to dates if the DPP goes ahead with a prosecution…

Guido was on Tufton Street last year on the afternoon when Extinction Rebellion organised a demonstration outside the offices of the Global Warming Policy Foundation. Guido left after listening to some crackpot speeches and watching the hippy dancing, which was before they started vandalising the offices.

Next week, Jessica Townsend will appear alongside XR co-founder Clare Farrell and Professor Rupert Read on charges related to vandalising the offices of 55 Tufton Street. The three are once again organising an event to coincide with the court date. Apparently it will be a tour of Tufton Street, “the most dangerous street in Britain”, revealing the

“Hidden away in corners of privilege around Westminster are a series of think thanks doing nefarious work… They hide in plain sight in nice suits, disguised as old white male has-beens or men without distinction. Join us and hear about the hidden villains of our time, tucked away in beautiful buildings paid for by dark money.”

Perhaps they will start with the biggest building on the street: the Mothers’ Union headquarters. In reality, Tufton Street is home to a number of think tanks and charities because rents are cheap for a location not too far from Parliament. Inside, most of the people working are casually dressed young idealists. The cheap offices are not what Guido would describe as beautiful. They’re more utilitarian.

There is something fundamentally totalitarian in believing that all opposition is illegitimate and any opponents must be physically attacked. Vandalising buildings isn’t going to advance your arguments, nor is it a healthy way to conduct democratic debate in an open society. The Courts should order the well-funded vandals of Extinction Rebellion to make full restitution financially for the damage, with additional exemplary fines.

According to a source officials from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have contacted Amazon asking them to remove fake police IDs, wallets and warrant cards currently available on the website. At the time of going to pixel the police-style paraphernalia is still available for purchase on amazon.co.uk. Impersonating a police officer is an offence, Amazon enabling the offence is not…

Five years have passed since Kids Company closed down and only today will Alan Yentob, the ex-BBC executive and the extraordinary Camilla Batmanghelidjh – who spent some £50 million of taxpayers money unaccountably and in an uncontrolled manner – face justice. Cash was given to kids who spent it as kids are wont to do.

Inquiries have previously found the charity gave brown envelopes stuffed with cash to troubled children as a matter of course, splurges included £50,000 allegedly spent on taxis at the charity’s Christmas party, and Batmanghelidjh had the use of a driver. Twelve-year-olds were given £150 trainers, while others were flown first class to America. One of the kids helped by the organisation told how she and her friends would splash the spending money they were given on cannabis.

Telling BBC Radio 4’s The Report: “We would queue up and sign our names down and get an envelope with £30 and an Oyster travelcard. Then we would go to the shop and buy whatever we wanted with that money. It was weed heaven on a Friday, you could smell it coming down from the landings.” Batmanghelidjh shamed David Cameron into giving her another £3 million days before the charity’s financial collapse…

This insolvency hearing could uncover criminal fraud or result in the the official receiver banning the eight defendants facing trial from being company directors. Arrogant Yentob still works for the BBC…

This car belonging to Adam Clarke, the Deputy Mayor of Leicester, was parked illegally on the kerb on Monday – the picture was sent to Guido by a concerned resident. When we were looking into it we discovered it didn’t have an MOT certificate and was also untaxed, consequently uninsured according to the DVLA. Local sources tell me they have seen the shifty councillor driving around Leicester in the car. On the council, the deputy mayor has the responsibility for the transport portfolio locally. Is this responsible?

Guido called and texted Adam Clarke for an explanation on Tuesday, none was forthcoming, so we asked local MP Andrew Bridgen what he thought:

Whether it’s the Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby and his lockdown-breaking antics or the deputy Mayor Adam Clarke (responsible for transport) who is driving without tax and insurance. Surely the people of Leicester deserve better than this? Perhaps it’s a matter for the Labour Police & Crime commissioner to take up? Don’t hold your breath.

Leicester really is a rotten borough…

UPDATE:  A records check just now shows he got an MOT on Wednesday, the day after Guido called him.

What a coincidence…