Peter Murrell’s corrupt activities while CEO of the Scottish National Party continue to be scrutinised, and rightly so. Despite admitting to embezzling £400,000 from the party and now serving a jail sentence, many questions remain unanswered.
Systemic Failures at the Top
This is not solely about Murrell’s conduct but about the failings at the top of the SNP that allowed his 12-year criminal spending spree to go undetected. John Swinney’s resistance to a public inquiry into the matter reflects poorly on him and suggests the Nationalists have failed to learn lessons.
New Allegations of Missing Funds
New questions have emerged following an exclusive report of a police probe into allegations by former SNP official David Henry that £1.5 million is unaccounted for in the books of the official 2014 Yes campaign. Yes Scotland was a separate legal entity to the SNP, but the two had close links, with senior Nationalists holding key roles.
A former senior staffer at Yes Scotland, Ian Dommett, the campaign’s former marketing director, alleged that Murrell played an influential and controlling role behind the scenes, extending to the group’s funds. Dommett stated he could not do anything without Murrell’s approval and clashed with him several times before losing his job.
Police Investigation Underway
There is no suggestion of criminality on the part of Yes Scotland, who deny any wrongdoing. Police must be given time and space to probe the complaint that has been made. However, Murrell’s corrupt reign at the top of the SNP will legitimately remain in focus until the party finally stops hiding from scrutiny.
