The SNP will seek to recoup the money embezzled by its former chief executive Peter Murrell, the party's ruling body decided on Wednesday. The national executive committee (NEC) agreed to launch a compensation order in a bid to recover more than £400,000 in funds that Murrell admitted last week to using on a raft of personal purchases over a 12-year period.
Murrell pleaded guilty to using fake invoices and expenses, as well as party charge cards, to buy scores of items ranging from a campervan costing over £120,000 and two other cars to an egg poacher set priced at £23.98. The embezzlement came to light following a police investigation that began after the party raised £600,000 to fight another independence referendum.
At a meeting called by First Minister and party leader John Swinney on Wednesday evening, the NEC agreed to pursue the recovery of the stolen funds. The party has pledged to spend any recouped money on “securing Scotland’s rightful place as an independent country”.
A spokesman for the SNP said: “Last night, NEC members met for a discussion and to hear from the party’s solicitors on how we proceed in the best interests of our party, our members and the cause of independence. The meeting was called by John Swinney and it was unanimously agreed by NEC members that the SNP will seek to recover the money that was stolen from us by Peter Murrell.”
The spokesman added: “The meeting last night reflects the substantial governance structures and strengthened transparency put in place under John Swinney’s leadership and our solicitors will now begin action in court to recover that money. Our party was betrayed by Peter Murrell and, while this may take some time, if we are successful we will use that money for the purpose in which it was donated – securing Scotland’s rightful place as an independent country.”
The announcement comes after Swinney said the £600,000 raised by the party to fight another referendum had been used for other party matters. While former treasurer Colin Beattie made a similar statement in 2021, opposition parties have accused the SNP of failing to protect the supposedly ring-fenced fund.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said the party must set up a reimbursement scheme if they are able to recover the cash, similar to a previous initiative. “This money was not just stolen from the SNP – it was stolen from thousands of individual members who invested in a cause they believed in and trusted the party with their hard-earned cash,” she said.
“The SNP has already failed to protect funds from Peter Murrell’s spending sprees and frittered away £600,000 of ring-fenced money – it must not steal from members again by holding on to this money. John Swinney must promise that if they manage to claw back this money, they will set up a reimbursement scheme and give members a chance to claim back the money stolen from them.”
