The investigation into SNP’s campaign funds continues, raising questions about its future and the party’s leadership.
Glasgow: The investigation into the SNP’s use of £666,953 from independence campaign donations is still going strong after nearly four years. Can you believe it? The police have already spent around £1.8 million on this probe, which is more than triple the amount they’re looking into. It’s wild!
So, what’s been happening during this time? Well, Operation Branchform kicked off in 2021, focusing on claims that funds raised for a referendum were misused. The SNP had two major fundraisers, one in 2017 and another in 2019, which brought in a total of £666,000.
Things got a bit sketchy when the party’s accounts showed they had just under £97,000 left in the bank by the end of 2019. Then, in May 2021, the SNP’s treasurer, Douglas Chapman, quit, saying he didn’t have the financial info he needed. That raised a lot of eyebrows.
In June 2021, Peter Murrell, the party’s chief executive and Sturgeon’s husband, loaned the SNP over £107,000 to help with cash flow. This was only revealed to the public in December 2022, which made people wonder what was really going on.
The investigation was sparked by complaints from an independence activist, and it took a dramatic turn when Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation as party leader in February 2023. She had been in charge for eight years and said it was getting too tough.
Just a month later, Murrell stepped down amid a row over party membership numbers. Then, in April 2023, he was arrested but released without charge. A police tent even went up outside their home, and the SNP’s headquarters were searched. Talk about a scandal!
The investigation continued, with a luxury campervan being seized from Murrell’s mom’s driveway. Both Sturgeon and former treasurer Colin Beattie were arrested but released without charges. Murrell, however, faced embezzlement charges in April 2024.
As of August, Police Scotland had submitted their findings to the Crown, but they were still waiting for a response. It’s like a never-ending saga!
Sturgeon has maintained that she’s done nothing wrong and is still eyeing a return to politics, possibly running for Holyrood in 2026. But she’s under investigation, which complicates things. A decision on her candidacy is expected soon.
With the elections coming up, there’s growing concern that this investigation could overshadow the campaign. Former SNP politicians have said it’s the “elephant in the room.” It’s tough to campaign when there’s a cloud of suspicion hanging over the party’s former leader.
