Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said there are “questions that need to be answered” after former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admitted embezzling just over £400,000 from the party.
Sir Keir insisted Scots would be “baffled” that people in charge of the SNP “say they didn’t know anything about what was going on”.
His comments came after former SNP leader, and one time Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, insisted she had “no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever” that her then husband had used party money to pay for personal items.
Murrell, 61, pleaded guilty on Monday to embezzling a total of £400,310.65 from the SNP between August 2010 and October 2022.
The cash was used to buy a range of items, including: a motorhome, various luxury goods and two cars. Other purchases included designer kitchenware,multiple pairs of shoes, expensive pens and a £1,200 space telescope.
Asked if SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney had questions to answer about the matter, Sir Keir said: “I think anybody looking atwhat’s happening up in Scotland will be baffled that those at the top of the SNP say they didn’t know anything about what was going on, so clearly there are questions that need to be answered.”
Mr Swinney, however, said: “I don’t really think I will be listening much to what Keir Starmer says about anything.”
The Scottish First Minister went on to insist that his party’s finances were “strong” despite what had happened.
Mr Swinney told journalists that “strong and effective governance” arrangements which he put in place after becoming leader, two years ago, meant supporters were still “donating substantially” to the party.
As a result, he said, the party had spent “the best part of £1 million” on its recent Holyrood election campaign.
He said: “Obviously, we have just come through an election campaign which we have been able to fully fund, and it was a significant expenditure.
“All of the details are not finalised but we spent the best part of £1 million on the election campaign and the party’s underlying financial position is strong.”
While he accepted there had been “a difficult context”, the First Minister added: “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.”
Some members raised concerns about finances when Murrell was in place, with former MP Joanna Cherry saying that any questions that were asked “were met with a brick wall”.
But, speaking on Tuesday, Mr Swinney insisted that “these issues are in the past”, saying “the issues I have taken forward mean we have got good and effective governance”.
