SNP leadership hopeful Ash Regan launched her campaign to succeed Nicola Sturgeon by calling on the First Minister’s husband to quit as party chief executive.
Regan said having a husband and wife in the top positions was not “appropriate” and insisted it would not be accepted in the commercial world.
The SNP has faced sustained criticism over the years about the arrangement and Regan yesterday took the issue head on.
She was asked about her MP ally Joanna Cherry’s call for Murrell to no longer hold the post: “I think that’s quite right.
“I think this arrangement where we have the leader and we have the husband of the leader running the party, I mean we wouldn't accept that in a commercial setting in companies. I don't think that's appropriate for politics either.”
Asked whether he should stand down, she said: “I think there is a conflict of interest there, yes.”
Police are investigating SNP finances after a complaint was made about how cash raised for indyref2 was spent.
Murrell has also faced questions about a £107,000 loan he made to the SNP.
Regan is vying for the SNP leadership with Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and Finance Secretary Kate Forbes.
She used to be Community Safety Minister, but quit last year in protest over the Government’s gender recognition reforms.
She has promised to scrap the controversial legislation if she wins:
“I think I’m the only candidate on the slate that’s credible on some of the top issues that have been a problem for the SNP recently, that can draw a line under this so that we can all move forward together because we need to do that for the betterment of the country.”
Speaking at her launch in North Queensferry, Regan pitched herself as the unity candidate in the hours before nominations closed.
She also declared herself to be the candidate of competent government, claiming the party had “lost our way” in recent years.
She said: “Our campaign is built on hope, optimism and a belief in the power of our people,” she said.
“The truth is that our movement has been divided for far too long by petty differences and personal agendas.
“But we can’t afford to let these differences tear us apart any longer and we must come together as one united force for Scotland because the challenges facing our country are too great for us to face them if we are divided.”
On independence, Regan said under her leadership the SNP would launch negotiations on leaving the UK with Westminster if the indy-supporting parties won a majority of votes and seats at any UK or Holyrood election.
Regan described the policy as a “voter empowerment mechanism”: “The referendum mechanism has been exhausted, including the ‘so-called’ de facto referendum proposal.
“Under my leadership the SNP policy will be to explicitly declare on line one of our party manifesto in any election going forward, that should we (in conjunction or not with other parties) achieve a majority of seats and votes cast, then collectively we will ‘begin independence negotiations’ on day one of the new Parliament.
“I will hand Independence back to the people, where it belongs.”
She also suggested Alex Salmond, who set up the rival pro-independence party Alba after falling out with Sturgeon, could return to play a role in the Yes movement: “We need to unite the Yes movement. We need to get the band back together.
“We must come together as one united force for Scotland, because the challenges facing our country are too great for us to face them divided.
“If parties stand on a mandate to begin independence negotiations and achieve a majority of the seats and votes cast, then they are entitled to pursue it.
“All Unionist politicians used to accept this. It is only now they whine, because they fear losing.
“This morning I have sent a letter to all the independence groups, notifying them of my intention to establish an Independence Convention on day one of my leadership.
As well as calling for Murrell to quit, she also criticised Sturgeon’s economic prospectus for independence.
She said the party had to “move on” from the Sustainable Growth Commission, which the outgoing First Minister had commissioned.
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