The Scottish National party has been accused of “embezzling” voters after its former chief executive, Peter Murrell, pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from party funds. The scandal overshadowed First Minister John Swinney’s Holyrood motion calling for a second independence referendum.
Swinney used the first full day of parliamentary business on Tuesday to stage a symbolic vote on Scotland’s right to decide its own future. He offered no new legal arguments but challenged pro-UK parties to accept the principle of self-determination. However, opposition leaders criticised the timing, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar saying Murrell’s crimes provided “really stark” evidence that the SNP prioritised its own ambitions over the public.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay described the debate’s timing as “comical” and accused Swinney of helping to quash concerns about party finances before the police investigation. He also criticised former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s repeated “no comment” responses during police interviews, calling them “the tactics of organised crime”.
Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer backed Swinney’s motion, arguing that the SNP and Greens’ combined 73 seats represented the “biggest ever” pro-independence majority. However, Scottish Tories’ finance spokesperson Craig Hoy countered that pro-UK parties won 59% of regional votes on 7 May, while the SNP and Greens secured only 41%.
