McConnell Urges Joint SNP Inquiry Into Murrell's £400,000 Embezzlement
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 1
McConnell Urges Joint SNP Inquiry Into Murrell's £400,000 Embezzlement
9 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 1
Jack McConnell said Holyrood and Westminster should run a joint inquiry into Peter Murrell's theft of more than £400,000 from the SNP over 12 years, after Murrell pleaded guilty last week.
The former first minister said a shared probe could avoid claims of either a Holyrood cover-up or a Westminster hatchet job, and should test whether public parliamentary funds were involved and whether donor safeguards failed.
He also wants scrutiny of links between Scotland's prosecution service and ministers after Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain disclosed details of Murrell's charge to John Swinney nearly a year before they became public.
Swinney has rejected any parliamentary inquiry, saying police already carried out a forensic investigation and that SNP governance has improved, while Nicola Sturgeon denied knowing of Murrell's wrongdoing or suppressing concerns.
The case has revived wider criticism of SNP financial transparency, including past resignations by treasurer Douglas Chapman and Joanna Cherry; Murrell is due to be sentenced later this month.
Nicola Sturgeon was cleared, but does her 'misjudgement' in keeping her husband as CEO point to a wider failure of leadership?
Can Scotland’s justice system be impartial when its top prosecutor briefs the government on politically sensitive charges?
Beyond one man's guilt, what might a parliamentary inquiry uncover about the systemic rot in political party funding?
The £400,000 SNP Embezzlement: Peter Murrell’s Guilty Plea and the Urgent Need for Party Reform
Overview
Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the Scottish National Party, pleaded guilty in May 2026 to embezzling over £400,000 from party funds over 12 years. His actions exposed major weaknesses in the SNP’s financial oversight, as the crime went undetected until a police investigation began. Nicola Sturgeon, his estranged wife and former First Minister, was arrested during the probe but later cleared of wrongdoing and denied any knowledge of the embezzlement. The scandal led to political fallout, damaged public trust, and forced the SNP to confront serious governance failures and begin reforms to restore confidence.