Scotland's SNP appoints Stuart McDonald as new treasurer

LONDON (Reuters) - The Scottish National Party said on Saturday it had appointed Stuart McDonald as its national treasurer, after Colin Beattie stepped back from the role earlier this week while police investigate the party's finances.

Beattie was arrested and questioned by Police Scotland on Tuesday as part of the investigation into what happened to more than 600,000 pounds ($745,800) raised by Scottish independence campaigners in 2017. He was released without charge pending further investigation but said he would step back from the role.

Scotland's governing party said its National Executive Committee had appointed former lawyer McDonald, a member of the Westminster parliament since 2015, as the party's Treasurer until the SNP's next Annual Conference.

"Whilst it is a difficult and challenging time, I look forward to getting on with the job of National Treasurer to help take forward the important work being led by our new party leader, Humza Yousaf, to improve the SNP’s governance and transparency," McDonald said in a statement.

"I’ve no hesitation in stepping forward when asked to do my part in keeping our party firmly on a campaign footing as the case for Scottish independence becomes more compelling than ever."

($1 = 0.8045 pounds)

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Clelia Oziel)