Time and money spent on Branchform concerning

THE phrase "Operation Branchform" has become irrevocably linked to the continuing demise of the SNP.

- Richard Elias

For a name randomly picked by a computer, it has become a byword for claim and counterclaim depending on which side of the political fence you sit.

It was on the morning of July 13, 2021, that Police Scotland made the announcement that they had formally begun a probe into alleged financial wrongdoing within the SNP.

Now, 44 months later, Operation Branchform has begun to near its end.

The length of time of the investigation has annoyed many, puzzled others and led to a variety of conspiracy theories.