London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 04, 2025

Humza Yousaf told of SNP motorhome after becoming leader

Humza Yousaf told of SNP motorhome after becoming leader

Scotland's first minister has said he only discovered the SNP had bought a luxury motorhome after he became party leader.

Humza Yousaf said he was shown a police warrant to seize items from the party, which included the vehicle.

The motorhome was seized from outside a property in Dunfermline last week.

Party sources are reported to have said it was intended to be used as a "campaign battle bus" ahead of the last Holyrood election in 2021.

They told the Daily Record that it would have acted as a "mobile campaign room" if Covid restrictions prevented other forms of mixing, but was never used.

Mr Yousaf was asked during a visit to a Glasgow nursery school when he first learned that the party had bought the Niesmann + Bischoff vehicle, which can retail for more than £100,000.

He replied: "Shortly after I became leader of the party".

The first minister said: "The police of course give us a warrant for items that they are looking to take in their possession.

"I can't go into the detail of that but of course the police have done the responsible thing and I as leader have seen the warrant in terms of the items that they've confiscated, including the motorhome that you referenced."

The Mail on Sunday reported at the weekend that the vehicle had been parked outside the home of Peter Murrell's 92-year-old mother since January 2021. Mr Murrell is married to Nicola Sturgeon, and was until recently the SNP's chief executive.

It was said to have been taken away on the same day that officers searched Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell's home in Glasgow, and the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh. Mr Murrell was arrested before later being released without charge.

Campervans similar to the one seized by police can retail for more than £100,000


Officers are investigating the SNP's finances in response to complaints about how the party spent more than £600,000 of donations that it had received from activists.

Mr Yousaf said the public had "very reasonable" questions to ask regarding the issue of transparency within the SNP.

It has been revealed that the SNP has been without auditors since September. Accountants Johnston Carmichael, which audited its accounts for more than a decade, said the decision to no longer work with the party was taken after a review of its clients.

Mr Yousaf said he had not been aware of the issue until he became leader, adding that "it would have been helpful to have known beforehand" and that "there should have been more transparency around the party finances".

He said he was now committed to finding replacement auditors for the party as soon as possible.

The first minister was speaking the day after the Scottish government confirmed it would be launching a legal challenge to the UK government's block on its gender recognition reforms.

Mr Yousaf said he did not "know the full costs" that would be involved in taking legal action, but insisted that "it's an important principle".

He said: "Spending taxpayers' money on defending the will of the Scottish Parliament, on defending devolution, for me that's important."

He said he would launch the challenge even if it was a bill he "fundamentally disagreed" with, claiming that if he did not do so then the UK government would "veto legislation after legislation" passed at Holyrood.

However, former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption told the BBC that the Scottish government's position was "weak" and the legal challenge would be "very difficult".

The case for judicial review will initially be heard in the Court of Session in Edinburgh, but is widely expected to end up in the UK Supreme Court for a final decision.

Lord Sumption told the BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Section 35 empowers the UK government to stop a Scottish bill becoming law if it modifies the law relating to a matter reserved to Westminster in a way that adversely affects how the law works.

"One of those matters is equal opportunities, and what the UK government says is the Scottish bill modifies the law relating to equal opportunities in a way that adversely affects how it works.

"So if you think about it, the result will be that some UK citizens, if this bill comes into force, will have a different legal gender in different parts of the UK depending on where they happen to be."

Asked if he would resign as first minister if the legal challenge was unsuccessful, Mr Yousaf replied: "No".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
×