A leaked document reveals that trade unions affiliated with Scottish Labour have described the party's governance as 'inadequate', echoing criticisms levelled at the SNP following the Peter Murrell scandal. The briefing note, obtained by the Daily Record, was prepared for a meeting of Scottish Labour's Executive Committee last Saturday.
Union Concerns Over Governance
The document states: 'The Murrell scandal has shown the inadequacies of SNP governance. The Scottish Labour Party governance arrangements are also inadequate – it cannot continue that the SEC does not have full oversight of finances and membership information.' The unions are demanding full access to financial records and membership numbers, areas where they claim transparency is lacking.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has previously refused to publish membership figures, stating after the 2024 general election: 'Our membership has actually increased since the election but I’m interested in not membership numbers, because parties can all argue about membership numbers. It’s well known that a different party other than mine [the SNP] has probably the largest membership number of any political party in the country, but what matters is the number of votes you get, not the number of members you have.'
Context of the Murrell Scandal
The concerns come in the wake of the Peter Murrell scandal, where the former SNP chief executive pleaded guilty to embezzling over £400,000 of party funds over twelve years. His crimes have prompted claims that the SNP's internal structures are not fit for purpose, with party treasurers unable to detect the corruption and the National Executive Committee seen as an obstacle to openness.
Scottish Labour has been at the forefront of accusing the SNP of secrecy over the Murrell affair, but the leaked document suggests similar issues exist within its own ranks.
Internal Review and Election Defeat
Scottish Labour has launched an internal review of their defeat to the SNP in the Holyrood election. Far-reaching changes are expected, including a potential rethink of the link with UK Labour. Party sources say structural change is inevitable, with Keir Starmer's performance as Prime Minister believed to have been a major factor in Sarwar's defeat.
The unions also criticised Labour's effectiveness at Holyrood since May 7th, noting that the party secured only the convenorship of the Public Audit and Public Petitions Committees – a haul that disappointed them. In their briefing, they said the failure to 'vigorously seek' the Economy or Health committees showed a 'disconnect' with their members.
Scottish Labour has been contacted for comment.
