Peter Murrell Charged With Embezzlement in SNP Finance Probe

Facts

• Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been charged in connection with the embezzlement SNP donations worth approximately £660K ($821K).¹
• Police Scotland announced, having been arrested on Thursday at 9:13AM, a 59-year-old man was charged at 6:35PM the same day after further questioning concerning 'the funding and finances' of the SNP.²
• Murrell, who became SNP chief executive in 1999, stepped down from the role in Mar. 2023 — a month after Nicola Sturgeon, elected as Scotland's first minister in 2014, announced her own resignation.³
• The two have been married since 2010. Following their resignations, both Murrell and Sturgeon were arrested in Apr. 2023 and Jun. 2023 respectively, in connection to the police investigation, before being released without charge.⁴
• A police inquiry began in July 2021 concerning alleged improper use of party donations intended for the Scottish independence campaign. The investigation also led to the arrest and release of former party treasurer and current Member of Scottish Parliament Colin Beattie.⁵
• Reacting to the announcement, an SNP spokesperson stated that while the charge has 'come as a shock,' the ongoing nature of the police investigation meant it would be 'inappropriate' to comment further.⁶

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²Police Scotland, ³STV News, ⁴The Herald, ⁵Sky News and ⁶twitter.com.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Daily Record. Murrell's charges are yet another blow to the reputation and legacy of the SNP. Having pitched himself as Sturgeon's natural heir, First Minister Humza Yousaf can now only focus on damage limitation, as growing accusations of corruption cast a bleak shadow over his party. The SNP cannot be viewed as anything other than a sinking ship as the UK edges towards its next general election.
• Narrative B, as provided by UnHerd. While the charges against Murrell and the accusations against Sturgeon are shocking, the former chief executive of the SNP remains innocent until he is found guilty in a court of law. Nothing has yet been proven, and while accusations concerning the couple's professional integrity certainly need answering, conclusions cannot be drawn until the investigation is a closed case.

Predictions