SNP Finance Scandal Peter Murrell Charged Amidst Party Investigation
Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and husband to Nicola Sturgeon, the ex-First Minister of Scotland, has been formally charged following a police investigation into the mismanagement of party funds. Arrested and taken to Falkirk Police Station for questioning, this marks a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny of SNP’s financial affairs, Sky News.
This charge comes over a year after Murrell’s initial arrest in April 2023, amidst Police Scotland’s Operation Branchform—an inquiry launched in 2021 into the allocation of over £600,000 donated for independence campaigning. While Murrell faced charges of embezzlement, Nicola Sturgeon and Colin Beattie, former party treasurer, were also arrested but later released without charge, pending further investigation, shared by BBC.
The long-standing association of Murrell with the SNP ended with his resignation in March 2023, shortly after Sturgeon stepped down from her role as the party leader and First Minister in February 2023. His ties with the party, where he had been a pivotal figure since 1999, were severed following the charges, leading to his resignation from the party membership as well.
A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed, “A 59-year-old man was charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party. He was previously arrested last year and, after extensive further questioning, was charged. A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in due course.”
The SNP has responded cautiously, noting the ongoing nature of the police investigation and the inappropriateness of commenting at this stage. The party, under Murrell’s leadership, had seen significant political success, becoming the dominant force in Scottish politics since taking power at Holyrood in 2007 and consistently winning subsequent elections.
Murrell and Sturgeon’s personal and professional partnership has been well-documented since they first met through their involvement with the SNP in the late 1980s, officially becoming a couple in 2003 and marrying in 2010. Sturgeon, who took over as Scotland’s first female first minister in 2014, has maintained her innocence regarding the allegations, asserting she has “done nothing wrong.”
The scandal has undoubtedly shaken the SNP, which saw its membership peak at around 125,000 in 2018. While still the largest political party in Scotland, the ongoing investigation casts a shadow over its future, marking a tumultuous phase in its history.