If Ian Blackford is worried about the state of his party’s finances he did his best to hide it yesterday.
The SNP’s ex-Westminster leader did a round of interviews to insist there was nothing to be concerned about.
That’s despite the fact Police Scotland is still investigating the party’s accounts and the home of Nicola Sturgeon was searched for two days by officers.
Her husband Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, was arrested and questioned for several hours before being released without charge.
Blackford insisted yesterday that the SNP was in robust financial health and could meet all of its future obligations.
But he had less to say when asked when he was told the party’s long-serving auditors had abruptly resigned last year. Many ordinary members have been concerned about the way the party is run for some time.
It was complaints from the public that prompted the police to act in the first place. Operation Branchform is still a live investigation and we should not second-guess its final outcome.
But there is no doubt that the party is in a mess financially. Blackford’s comments came less than 24 hours after Humza Yousaf was forced to deny the Nationalists faced bankruptcy.
The party has lost more than 30,000 members over the last two years.
That’s a big chunk of change in terms of membership fees. Blackford may be right when he insists the SNP can weather the storm. But those in senior positions within the party should be honest enough to acknowledge the concerns of members and the wider public.
Blanket denials simply won’t cut it.
National win was dream come true
THE 2023 Grand National was full of drama even by the unique standards of the legendary steeplechase.
Corach Rambler romped home in first place to become only the third Scottish-trained winner in the 175th running of the event.
It was a triumph for Lucinda Russell and her team from Milnathort in Kinross.
She was also responsible for the last Scots-trained National winner in 2017.
And today we tell how a group of
ordinary folk who part-own Corach Rambler now find themselves with a share of one of the world’s most famous horses.
Among them is student Cameron Sword, 21, who scraped together up a few thousand pounds to fund his share when the horse was bought for just £17,000.
It’s rare to find a story where the little guy can get one over on the wealthy
billionaires who dominate other sports.
But Corach Rambler and the Scots behind the horse’s success have shown fairytales really do come true.
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