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| SNP auditors quit after Peter Murrell police investigation | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Police carried out a search of the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh this week | |
| The firm that audits the SNP's finances has resigned, the BBC has learned. | The firm that audits the SNP's finances has resigned, the BBC has learned. |
| Accountants Johnston Carmichael, which has worked with the party for more than a decade, said the decision was taken after a review of its client portfolio. | Accountants Johnston Carmichael, which has worked with the party for more than a decade, said the decision was taken after a review of its client portfolio. |
| By law, the party has until 7 July to present their accounts to the Electoral Commission or face possible sanctions. | By law, the party has until 7 July to present their accounts to the Electoral Commission or face possible sanctions. |
| Police investigating the SNP's finances this week searched the home of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell - Nicola Sturgeon's husband. | |
| He was arrested on Wednesday and later released without charge. | He was arrested on Wednesday and later released without charge. |
| A spokesperson for the SNP said the party was in the process of finding a replacement firm. | A spokesperson for the SNP said the party was in the process of finding a replacement firm. |
| How many more difficult days for SNP's Yousaf? | How many more difficult days for SNP's Yousaf? |
| Sturgeon out of event as two-day police search ends | Sturgeon out of event as two-day police search ends |
| Peter Murrell released without charge after arrest | Peter Murrell released without charge after arrest |
| The SNP is required to prepare financial statements in accordance with the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000. | The SNP is required to prepare financial statements in accordance with the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000. |
| However Electoral Commission rules state any party with income or expenditure of more than £250,000 is required by law to also independently audit their accounts and include this report in their submission. | However Electoral Commission rules state any party with income or expenditure of more than £250,000 is required by law to also independently audit their accounts and include this report in their submission. |
| Accounts are from the calendar year, not the financial year and the deadline for 2022 accounts is 7 July 2023. | Accounts are from the calendar year, not the financial year and the deadline for 2022 accounts is 7 July 2023. |
| Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell had high profile roles in the SNP for years | |
| If there is no auditors report and no reasonable excuse, the commission have the power to appoint their own firm of auditors to look at the accounts. | If there is no auditors report and no reasonable excuse, the commission have the power to appoint their own firm of auditors to look at the accounts. |
| The SNP's accounts for 2021 were published on 16 August 2022. | The SNP's accounts for 2021 were published on 16 August 2022. |
| The party's total income was £4,510,460, total expenditure was £5,262,032, assets were £1,630,454 and liabilities were £1,055,689. | The party's total income was £4,510,460, total expenditure was £5,262,032, assets were £1,630,454 and liabilities were £1,055,689. |
| Mr Murrell was arrested on Wednesday, and later released without charge, while police carried out a search at his Glasgow home. | |
| He was questioned while the search took place. | |
| Ms Sturgeon was at the house when police arrived but said she had "no prior knowledge" of the force's plans. | |
| A search of the Scottish National Party's headquarters in Edinburgh was also carried out. | |
| First Minister Humza Yousaf, who succeeded Ms Sturgeon last week, said his party had "fully co-operated" with police and would continue to do so. | |
| He said that he was "very, very clear that the governance of the party was not as it should be". | |
| A van reversed into the tent outside the house of Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon | |
| A van reversed into the tent outside the house of Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon | |
| Scottish Labour's deputy leader Jackie Baillie said the resignation of Johnstone Carmichael was a deeply worrying development that poses "serious questions" about the SNP's financial affairs. | |
| She said: "Yesterday, Humza Yousaf attempted to distance himself from the legacy of Peter Murrell - today we need to know what the current first minister plans to do to get the SNP's house in order. | |
| "Sunlight is the best disinfectant - we need transparency and openness from the SNP now." | |
| Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative constitution spokesperson Donald Cameron said the SNP should be "fully transparent" over why their auditors decided to quit. | |
| He said: "The public are sick of the SNP shrouding matters relating to their finances behind a wall of secrecy, and senior figures - including Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon - must be upfront about this situation." | |
| Officers remained stationed outside Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon's home on Wednesday evening | |
| In July 2021 Police Scotland launched a formal investigation into the SNP's finances after receiving complaints about how donations were used. | |
| Questions had been raised about funds given to the party for a fresh independence referendum campaign. | |
| Ms Sturgeon had insisted at the time that she was "not concerned" about the party's finances. | |
| She said "every penny" of cash raised in online crowdfunding campaigns would be spent on the independence drive. | |
| According to a statement, the SNP raised a total of £666,953 through referendum-related appeals between 2017 and 2020. The party pledged to spend these funds on the independence campaign. | |
| Questions were raised after its accounts showed it had just under £97,000 in the bank at the end of 2019, and total net assets of about £272,000. | |
| 'Personal contribution' | |
| Last year it emerged that Mr Murrell gave a loan of more than £100,000 to the SNP to help it out with a "cash flow" issue after the last election. | |
| The party had repaid about half of the money by October of that year. | |
| At the time an SNP spokesman said the loan was a "personal contribution made by the chief executive to assist with cash flow after the Holyrood election". | |
| He said it had been reported in the party's 2021 accounts. | |
| Weeks earlier, MP Douglas Chapman had resigned as party treasurer saying he had not been given the "financial information" to do the job. | |
| Mr Murrell resigned last month after taking responsibility for misleading statements about a fall in party membership. | |
| He has been married to Nicola Sturgeon since 2010. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| SNP (Scottish National Party) | SNP (Scottish National Party) |