The Scottish National Party is facing intensified calls for an independent investigation into its financial practices, after its former chief executive, Peter Murrell, admitted to embezzlement. Alex Neil, a former Scottish Government cabinet secretary, asserted the party "absolutely" needs to act, proposing the appointment of a senior lawyer to scrutinise its governance and financial handling.
These demands are reinforced by Joanna Cherry KC, a former SNP Westminster frontbencher, who has insisted on an "independent investigation into what occurred," highlighting a "wider public interest here that goes beyond the SNP." The impetus for an inquiry stems from Mr Murrell’s court appearance on Monday, where he admitted embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP between August 2010 and October 2022. Mr Murrell, who is also Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband, used the funds for a range of personal acquisitions. These included a motorhome, two cars, and various luxury goods. Further purchases comprised designer kitchenware, multiple pairs of shoes, expensive pens, and a £1,200 space telescope.
Reactions from Former and Current Leaders
Ms Sturgeon, who was SNP leader and Scottish first minister for much of that time, has already stated she had "no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever" her husband had bought the goods using party cash. Ms Cherry however has accused the former leader of a "remarkable lack of curiosity" over SNP finances, with the former SNP MP alleging that those who asked questions about the party’s financial affairs were shut down by the leadership.
In the wake of such allegations Mr Neil insisted that the party must launch an investigation into its funding arrangements and structures. Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme he said: "The SNP has to hold an independent inquiry, held by a senior KC and that would start with an audit of the current governing processes within the SNP and how the money is managed." He insisted that was necessary because Ms Sturgeon had told party members that "the SNP finances were fine" while "her husband was dipping into the till to a huge extent, over £400,000".
As a result, Mr Neil insisted that "assurances from the current leadership isn’t enough". He stated: "If we want to raise the kind of money we want to raise in the future, both for the party and for the independence cause, then potential donors have to be persuaded any money they give will be properly managed. And that I think can only come from having an independent review to make sure that the party is doing everything it possibly can so we can never ever again have a repeat of the Peter Murrell episode."
Current Leadership's Response
His comments came after SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney insisted on Tuesday that the party’s finances were "strong" in spite of what had happened. Mr Swinney said that "strong and effective governance" arrangements put in place after becoming leader two years ago meant supporters were still "donating substantially" to the party. The First Minister told how the SNP had "spent the best part of £1 million" on the recent Holyrood election campaign, highlighting this as showing that "the party’s underlying financial position is strong". He said: "The members of the Scottish National party have been donating substantially to the party because they know under my leadership the party is exercising strong and effective governance."
