JOHN Swinney is set to hold a press conference after former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell pled guilty to embezzlement charges.
Murrell arrived at Edinburgh High Court on Monday, May 25, for a hearing after being accused of embezzling the funds from the party between August 2010 and January 2023.
The 62-year-old was first arrested in April 2023 as part of the police investigation into the SNP’s finances, Operation Branchform, and was charged in April 2024.
Murrell pleaded guilty to an amended indictment, after initially being charged with embezzling £459,000 from the SNP. The amount was reduced to £400,310.65.
Murrell, the estranged husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, was led away in handcuffs and will be remanded in custody until sentencing on Tuesday, June 23.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston, who had oversight of Operation Branchform, has said the investigation was "lengthy and extremely complex" due to "the scale of criminality over a 12-year period" in a statement from the force.
What time is John Swinney making the speech?
First Minister Swinney has announced he will deliver a statement and take questions from the media in Edinburgh at 1.30pm.
How to watch John Swinney's speech on Peter Murrell
The statement is likely to be broadcast by the BBC News channel and Sky News.
You will also be able to follow what Swinney has said through The National's live blog here.
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