Peter Murrell arrested in connection with SNP ‘missing £600k’ investigation
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, the husband of Nicola Sturgeon, is understood to have been arrested by Police Scotland over an investigation into the party’s finances.
Updated 12 noon, Wednesday, April 5
The Scotsman is reporting that In a statement released this morning (Wednesday) Police Scotland confirmed a 58-year-old man, understood to be Peter Murrell, had been arrested in connection with its investigation into the alleged ‘missing £600,000’ within the SNP’s finances.
The man was in custody and being questioned by detectives, police said.
“Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation. A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
“The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media. As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.”
A spokesperson for the SNP said it would not be appropriate to comment. They said: “Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so.
Dumbarton MSP and Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “This is a deeply concerning development and the Police Scotland investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference. For too long, a culture of secrecy and cover-up has been allowed to fester at the heart of the SNP. We need Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon to urgently state what they knew and when.”
Scottish Conservative shadow constitution secretary Donald Cameron MSP, said: “Senior SNP politicians, including Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, must cooperate fully with the investigation into this very serious case and commit to openness and transparency.
“While there is an ongoing police investigation into the SNP’s finances, and given that a suspect has now been arrested, it is right that due process is followed and any potential wrongdoing investigated thoroughly by the police.”
“At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency – that will be taken forward in the coming weeks.”
This is bigger, much bigger than the disappearance of what in relative terms is a rather modest £600k of missing donations.
Murrell and Sturgeon’s home in Glasgow is taped off and locked down as a crime scene. A blue police tent is also obvious in the garden.
Similarly, the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh are in lockdown with apparently other properties being investigated.
Moreover there has been an absolute flurry of departures.
Not widely know is the fact that the Chief Constable and the Deputy CC visited Holyrood on 9th February 2023. Save for the admission that the visit took place and that they met with Keith Brown the justice secretary nothing else has been revealed, what they talked about and who else they may or may not have met. But Sturgeon, some two weeks later resigned unexpectedly citing life work balance as the reason.
But the departures didn’t stop there. Iain Livingstone the Chief Constable, then resigned. And the DEPARTURE too of the head of the COPFS, the Crown Agent and reported ex MI5 man David Harvie.
And Liz Lloyd who was the First Minister’s chief SPAD. And head of communications Murray Foote too. And then of course Peter Murrell, now under arrest.
So what is going on. Seems a lot lot more than we know about.
Maybe Ms Sturgeon might have difficulty remembering, wasn’t there, or wisnae her, but something doesn’t gel big time.
Oh to be a fly on the wall and in the know. There are some very big wheels spinning fast and furiously in the background and some are going to come off.
Another “mystery” is the disappearance from the Cabinet of Sturgeon’s Justice Secretary Keith Brown. There was no indication that he had fallen out with the Sturgeon/Yousaf clique. And why are there so many police at the Sturgeon house? Why do some of them have spades? Are they looking for buried treasure? And why is that police van inside a tent, which looks as if it has never been used before? If “evidence” is in boxes, why aren’t they sufficient to conceal it? Answers on a parking ticket please. This is all very strange.