Despite her arrest last weekend causing a political storm in Scotland and beyond, Nicola Sturgeon appears to be determined to go about her business as a Holyrood backbencher.
It would be easy for the former First Minister to go into semi-hiding at home until the police investigation into the SNP’s finances reaches its conclusion, but this has never been her style.
Based on her public statements since she was arrested and then released without charge, she believes she is innocent of any criminality and is frustrated at being unable to say more.
Her return to Holyrood this week is one way of her signalling this in the strongest way possible – but it also carries political risks for her successor, Humza Yousaf.
Since replacing Ms Sturgeon, he has found himself largely overshadowed by the negative publicity generated by Operation Branchform, the official name of the police inquiry.
His predecessor’s return to the Scottish Parliament will steal away another precious day’s coverage, at a time when he needs to begin asserting himself and win over a sceptical public.
She will also be entering something of a vipers’ nest, since two of her SNP colleagues at Holyrood have already gone on record to call for her to be suspended from the party after her arrest.
Her return threatens to antagonise those who believe that were she the leader during the current debacle, she would not have hesitated to suspend the membership of anyone arrested.
There is also still considerable disquiet within those in the SNP who supported either Kate Forbes or Ash Regan for the party’s leadership earlier this year, some of whom believe that Ms Sturgeon used her influence behind the scenes to ensure that Mr Yousaf won instead.
The logic of Ms Sturgeon’s telegraphed return to Holyrood is obvious: get the questioning over with and move on.
But the problem that has faced the SNP for most of 2023 so far is that until the investigation is over, it is impossible to move on. Who knows if any other arrests may come, or what the latest twist will be?
