London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Apr 29, 2025

SNP auditors quit amid Peter Murrell police investigation

SNP auditors quit amid Peter Murrell police investigation

The firm that audits the SNP's finances has resigned, the BBC has learned.

Accountants Johnston Carmichael, which has worked with the party for more than a decade, said the decision was taken after a review of its clients.

Police investigating the SNP's finances this week searched the home of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell - Nicola Sturgeon's husband. He was arrested and released without charge.

The BBC understands Johnston Carmichael resigned before Mr Murrell's arrest.

A spokesperson for the SNP said it was in the process of finding a replacement firm.

Police Scotland has been investigating the SNP's finances since July 2021.

On Wednesday, Mr Murrell was arrested while dozens of officers carried out a high-profile search at his Glasgow home and SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.

Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell had high profile roles in the SNP for years


Ms Sturgeon, Scotland's former first minister, was at the house when police arrived but said she had "no prior knowledge" of Police Scotland's plans.

Mr Murrell was questioned while the search took place then released without charge on Wednesday evening.

First Minister Humza Yousaf, who succeeded Ms Sturgeon last week, said his party had "fully co-operated" with police and would continue to do so.

He said that he was "very, very clear that the governance of the party was not as it should be".


Why are police investigating the SNP?


*  Police Scotland launched an investigation in July 2021 after complaints about how SNP donations were used.

*  The funds were donated for a new independence referendum campaign.

*  The SNP raised £666,953 through referendum-related appeals between 2017 and 2020.

*  Nicola Sturgeon said she was "not concerned" and "every penny" would be spent on the independence drive.

*  Questions were raised after SNP accounts showed just £97,000 in the bank at the end of 2019, and total assets of about £272,000.

Mr Murrell, who has been married to Ms Sturgeon since 2010, resigned last month after taking responsibility for misleading statements about a fall in party membership.

Last year it emerged that he gave a loan of more than £100,000 to the SNP to help it out with a "cash flow" issue after the last election.

The party had repaid about half of the money by October of that year.

At the time an SNP spokesman said the loan was a "personal contribution made by the chief executive to assist with cash flow after the Holyrood election".

He said it had been reported in the party's 2021 accounts.

Weeks earlier, MP Douglas Chapman had resigned as party treasurer saying he had not been given the "financial information" to do the job.

The SNP is required to prepare financial statements in accordance with the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000. It has until 7 July to present their accounts to the Electoral Commission.

If there is no report and no reasonable excuse, the commission has the power to appoint its own firm of auditors.

The SNP's accounts for 2021 were published on 16 August 2022.

The party's total income was £4,510,460, total expenditure was £5,262,032, assets were £1,630,454 and liabilities were £1,055,689.

Electoral Commission rules state any party with income or expenditure of more than £250,000 is required by law to also independently audit their accounts and include this report in their submission.

Scottish Labour's deputy leader Jackie Baillie said the resignation of Johnstone Carmichael was a deeply worrying development that posed "serious questions" about the SNP's financial affairs.

She said: "Yesterday, Humza Yousaf attempted to distance himself from the legacy of Peter Murrell - today we need to know what the current first minister plans to do to get the SNP's house in order.

"Sunlight is the best disinfectant - we need transparency and openness from the SNP now."

Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative constitution spokesperson Donald Cameron said the SNP should be "fully transparent" over why their auditors decided to quit.

He said: "The public are sick of the SNP shrouding matters relating to their finances behind a wall of secrecy, and senior figures - including Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon - must be upfront about this situation."

Following the firms resignation, SNP MP for the Outer Hebrides Angus MacNeil, said his party had "to get back to the effective, efficient and open ways" of the Alex Salmond years.

A spokesperson for Johnston Carmichael said: "As a regulated organisation, we adhere to our obligations on client confidentiality and do not discuss client business."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
Pakistani migrants to Danish man: “ “We have 5 children while you have 1 or 2. In 10 years, there will be more Pakistanis than Danes here.“
Clashes Erupt in London as Tensions Rise Between Indian and Pakistani Communities
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
Corrupted from Within: How Deep State Power and Unelected Judges Hijacked Democracy Against the Will of the People
President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky just held an impromptu discussion on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral in Rome.
World Leaders Gather in Rome for Pope Francis's Funeral
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Alberta's Push for Independence Raises Questions About Canada's National Unity
Virginia Giuffre, Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein accuser, dies by suicide
"China has survived for five thousand years, most of it without the United States as a market, and it can easily continue to survive without the U.S. market for another five thousand years — no problem," said a China analyst.
Elites vs. America: How Democrats Lost the Plot and the People
Pam Bondi Details Wisconsin Judge’s Actions Before Arrest: 'Can't Make This Up'
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Peter Navarro: The Man Behind Trump’s Tariff Madness
Milwaukee Judge Arrested on Allegations of Aiding Undocumented Immigrant’s Escape
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Trump administration moves to BAN essentially ALL artificial food dyes in the USA food supply at RFK Jr.'s direction
Woman slaps man at sports game and gets herself and husband beat up
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
China do not pay these tariffs - you pay it. This is new 145% tax you pay to the US government.
Nightlife in the streets of Manchester
In God We Profit
Cultural Battles in the Vatican: The Candidates in the Battle for the Holy See and Pope Francis's Testament
Global Leaders Pay Tribute to Pope Francis Following His Death
Wild Chimpanzees Observed Bonding Over Alcoholic Fruit
US Federal Reserve Chair Issues Warning on Tariff Impact
UK Prison Officers Demand Electric Stun Guns Amid Safety Concerns
China, China, China!
Australian National Charged as Mercenary for Fighting in Ukraine
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Prince Andrew Joins Royal Family Attends Easter Sunday Service at Windsor Castle
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
Trump is assembling a coalition of Western leaders aligned with the MAGA vision, strengthening a unified front for global change
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Here’s a police officer with a brilliant gift for swift education
"Some complain that we put thousands in prison. In reality, we set millions free."
This is Vienna, Austria in 2025.
Boeing Jet Returns to US from China Amid Tariff War
Canadian Federal Election: Candidates' Positions on US-Canada Relations and Donald Trump
Resentencing Hearing for Menendez Brothers Who Killed Their Parents Delayed Amid Legal Disputes
×