Jackie Baillie, John Swinney, Ross Greer and Peter Murrell – at odds over inquiry.
by Bill Heaney
SNP and Scottish Green MSPs have a “final chance to do the right thing” ahead of a vote calling for a Scottish Parliamentary Inquiry into the SNP embezzlement scandal.
MSPs will today, Wednesday, debate a Scottish Labour motion calling for the Parliament to conduct an inquiry into the implications and lessons to be learned following the conclusion of Operation Branchform and the embezzlement conviction of Peter Murrell.
However, despite public anger over the scandal and calls for transparency, SNP and Green MSPs have so far rejected calls for an inquiry to take place.
It comes just days after John Swinney admitted the SNP has spoken with HMRC over potential illegal VAT claims.
Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer also this week deleted a gushing tweet praising Murrell for having secured him a 25% pay rise.
Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: “It is without doubt that there are still significant and serious questions to be answered about Peter Murrell’s criminal activity and the SNP culture that enabled it to happen.
“For years, those at the top of the SNP have sought to shut down and silence whistleblowers and cover up any wrongdoing. That has utterly eroded the public’s trust in Scottish politics and the governing party.
“It is right that lessons are learned from Operation Branchform and this terrible scandal so that we can give the public the reassurances they need, particularly when it comes to how their money is handled.
“We know that John Swinney and others within the SNP, along with Ross Greer, have had close friendships with Murrell, openly praising him for his stewardship of the SNP as chief executive.
“However, they must set aside their personal connections with Murrell and realise that it is only right that we now have an inquiry into this scandal to allow Scotland to move forward.
“They have so far dug their heels in on the issue of an inquiry, but they still have a final chance to do the right thing – Back the motion and allow the Scottish Parliament to hold an inquiry.”