A former SNP branch secretary has revealed he was alerted to the party's financial troubles three years before Peter Murrell was first arrested, adding fresh urgency to calls for an independent investigation.
Warning in 2020
David Henry told the Record that in August 2020, the SNP's in-house solicitor phoned him to warn of 'financial problems' after Henry threatened to sue the party over a rule change that made it harder for MPs to move from Westminster to Holyrood. Henry, then organiser of the SNP's Edinburgh Pentlands constituency association, later lost the legal action and was ordered to pay costs. He subsequently left the SNP to join Alex Salmond's Alba Party.
Court Claims and Vindication
During a 2021 court hearing, Henry stated that a 'criminal complaint' had been lodged against Murrell, the then SNP chief executive. He added: 'Somebody else has lodged a criminal complaint against Peter Murrell and the SNP in particular.' Henry also revealed that two detectives had visited him weeks earlier, actively investigating the SNP over 'reported missing funds of £593,000'. Although the SNP dismissed Henry's claims at the time, he was vindicated when Murrell was jailed for five years and three months after pleading guilty to embezzling over £400,000 from the party.
Operation Branchform
Police Scotland launched Operation Branchform in 2021 to examine how more than £600,000 in donations intended for an independence referendum campaign were spent. That aspect was dropped in 2023 when detectives focused on suspicious purchases made by Murrell with SNP funds.
Call for Independent Inquiry
Speaking outside the High Court in Edinburgh, Henry urged First Minister John Swinney to support an independent inquiry into the scandal. He said: 'If John Swinney was serious about restoring public faith in both the SNP, and in the Scottish Parliament, he would be bringing in forensic accountants and welcoming a full inquiry - so that warts and all, it comes out. Instead, they are doing the opposite and saying they don't need an inquiry. That makes me very suspicious that they know there are other things.'
Henry added: 'I got a heads-up there was a problem with the finances in a phone call as I was threatening to sue Peter Murrell, as it was against the rules. And in that call, from their in-house solicitor, he told me there was financial problems. That was in August 2020. There's more to this than meets the eye. Murrell couldn't have got away with it unless other people had shut down all inquiries into the accounts.'
The Record has contacted the SNP for comment.
