John Swinney has rejected growing calls for an independent investigation into SNP finances in the wake of the Peter Murrell scandal – with a former Scottish government cabinet secretary the latest to demand such a probe.
Alex Neil, who served as both health secretary and social justice secretary in the Scottish government, was adamant that there “absolutely” should be an investigation, saying he wanted to see a senior lawyer appointed to probe the party’s governance arrangements and how it handles its finances.
But Mr Swinney insisted no investigation would be “more detailed” than the one carried out by Police Scotland.
Speaking two days after former SNP chief executive Murrell – the estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon – admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the party over 12 years, the Scottish First Minister was clear that “there can be nothing more detailed than a police investigation”.
He told the Press Association: “The police investigation has led to a criminal case. There has been a prosecution and there has been a guilty plea and there will be sentencing taking place as a consequence.
“So, all these issues have been looked at.
“We know what the problem was – the problem was criminal behaviour and the police have identified that and the individual involved has been prosecuted.
“You cannot get any inquiry more detailed than a police inquiry, and I think we should all respect the fact there has been a detailed inquiry into all the issues.”
Former SNP Westminster frontbencher Joanna Cherry KC has also demanded an “independent investigation into what occurred”, as she insisted there is a “wider public interest here that goes beyond the SNP”.
The calls came after Murrell, 61, appeared in court on Monday and admitted 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.
Ms Sturgeon, who was SNP leader and Scottish first minister for much of that time, has already stated she had “no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever” her husband had bought the goods using party cash.
Ms Cherry, however, has accused the former leader of a “remarkable lack of curiosity” over SNP finances, with the former SNP MP alleging that those who asked questions about the party’s financial affairs were shut down by the leadership.
In the wake of such allegations, Mr Neil said that the party must launch an investigation into its funding arrangements and structures.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme, he said: “The SNP has to hold an independent inquiry, held by a senior KC and that would start with an audit of the current governing processes within the SNP and how the money is managed.”
He insisted that was necessary because Ms Sturgeon had told party members that “the SNP finances were fine” while “her husband was dipping into the till to a huge extent, over £400,000”.
As a result Mr Neil insisted that “assurances from the current leadership isn’t enough”.
He stated: “If we want to raise the kind of money we want to raise in the future, both for the party and for the independence cause, then potential donors have to be persuaded any money they give will be properly managed.
“And that I think can only come from having an independent review to make sure that the party is doing everything it possibly can so we can never ever again have a repeat of the Peter Murrell episode.”
Mr Swinney accepted that “the trust of the SNP was breached by the criminality of Peter Murrell”.
The First Minister added, however, that his party had to “recognise that is the source of the problem, the conduct of Peter Murrell whose criminal behaviour has breached the rules and all the arrangements that we had in place”.
He branded Murrell’s actions “totally unacceptable” and a “betrayal of the party membership and all of the contributions they have made to the party”.
But, speaking during a visit to a housing development in East Lothian, Mr Swinney said: “What I would reassure people about is that the SNP has taken forward a review of its governance, it has in place very strong governance to ensure that the resources of the party are well managed and that they are used for the purposes of the SNP.”
He added: “What the SNP has done, since then, is the SNP has taken forward a review of its governance, and it has in place today very strong governance and I am determined to make sure that party at all times has that strong governance in place.”
However, Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie continued to press for an inquiry, saying: “This scandal goes to the very top of the Scottish Government and the SNP cannot sweep it under the carpet.
“It is not a good look for John Swinney to try and dodge scrutiny on this murky affair.”
She added: “This shameful episode has undermined trust in public institutions and exposed a culture of cover-up and secrecy at the heart of the SNP.
“If John Swinney has nothing to hide, he should prove it by agreeing to a Parliamentary inquiry and giving Scots the answers they deserve.”
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