Yousaf reveals SNP 'hid' resignation of its auditors for SIX MONTHS

Humza Yousaf claims rivals ‘envy’ the SNP despite their ‘difficulties’… as First Minister reveals how the party ‘hid’ the resignation of its auditors for SIX MONTHS amid police probe into its finances

• SNP leader says party isn’t paying legal fees of ex-chief executive Peter Murrell 

Humza Yousaf has claimed other parties still ‘envy’ the SNP despite having to deal with an ongoing police probe into its finances.

The First Minister today astonishingly revealed how the resignation of the SNP’s auditors was hidden from him for six months to leave the party in a ‘problematic’ position.

Mr Yousaf also confirmed Peter Murrell, the husband of ex-SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, has not been suspended by the party despite his arrest last week.

But he revealed Mr Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive, was not having his legal fees paid for by the party.

The First Minister’s first two weeks in office have been beset by crisis amid the dramatic escalation of the investigation into the SNP’s finances.

Mr Yousaf today vowed to ‘get on’ with another push for independence despite the ‘difficulties’ of the past few weeks.

But he later found himself besieged with questions about the SNP’s internal chaos.

Humza Yousaf today astonishingly revealed how the resignation of the SNP’s auditors was hidden for six months to leave the party in a ‘problematic’ position

Mr Yousaf also confirmed Peter Murrell, the husband of ex-SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, has not been suspended by the party despite his arrest last week

An ongoing police probe into the SNP’s finances dramatically escalated with the arrest of Mr Murrell. Detectives also conducted a two-day search of his and Ms Sturgeon’s home

Mr Yousaf admitted he didn’t know the SNP’s auditors, accountancy firm Johnson Carmichael, quit in October last year until he won the party’s leadership contest at the end of last month.

He told reporters in Leith: ‘They resigned last year. I think it was in and about October last year.

‘But the fact that we don’t have auditors in place is one of the major priorities.

‘You can imagine when I found that out, being the party leader, the party is quickly looking to secure another auditor.’

The resignation of Johnson Carmichael as the SNP’s auditors was only publicly confirmed last week.

Mr Yousaf acknowledged it had left the party in a difficult situation.

‘It’s certainly problematic. I won’t deny that at all,’ he added.

‘That is why one of the first things I did as leader on hearing this information was to instruct the party to get on with finding another auditor, and that’s what we’re doing.’

An ongoing police probe into the SNP’s finances, opened in July 2021, dramatically escalated with the arrest of Mr Murrell last week.

Detectives conducted a two-day search of his and Ms Sturgeon’s home, which saw officers erect a blue forensic tent outside the property and scour both the house and the garden. 

Mr Yousaf today confirmed Mr Murrell had not been suspended by the SNP in the wake of his arrest.

‘I operate on the premise that people are innocent until proven guilty,’ he said. ‘He’s obviously been questioned, as we know, under caution.’

But the First Minister revealed the SNP would not be paying Mr Murrell’s legal fees.

‘I’ll be castigated, I’m sure, if we pay his legal fees and castigated if we don’t pay his legal fees,’ he added.

‘So we’ve taken a decision as a party not to pay those legal fees given he’s no longer the chief executive of the party – I think that’s pretty reasonable.’

Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood and a former leader of the Scottish Tories, said there were ‘mounting’ questions for SNP officials over the resignation of its auditors.

‘Why did they hide it from the membership and the public?,’ he posted on Twitter.

‘All very grubby and murky from the Nats. No wonder auditors resigned.’

Mr Yousaf had earlier signalled an intent to push past the SNP’s current woes and focus on its independence cause.

In an article for The National newspaper, the First Minister wrote: ‘While there’s no doubting that the past few weeks have not been easy for the SNP, we must not lose sight of the strength we have as a party.’

Mr Yousaf claimed ‘despite the difficulties of the past weeks’ there was ‘not a party in the land that doesn’t look at our support in the polls, or our membership numbers, with envy’.

He added: ‘Since we came to power in 2007, not a week has gone by where our political opponents haven’t announced the imminent demise of the SNP. In election after election, we have proven them wrong.

‘By harnessing the talents of our party – our activists, our councillors and our parliamentarians – we will continue to prove them wrong as we take the decisive steps on our journey to independence and realising Scotland’s full potential.

‘The elected Scottish Parliament has a clear majority in favour of offering the people of Scotland a choice over their future, and I am more convinced than ever that we will choose independence.

‘It’s time to embrace the challenge, roll up our sleeves and get on with it.’

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