SNP spent £670k on furniture and IT equipment in midst of fraud probe

IndyRef2 could make Scotland 'economically weaker' says Lockhart

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A leaked copy of the SNP’s draft 2020 accounts, showed that more than £670,000 was spent on furnishings and new computers last year. It follows claims by party insiders that over £600,000 in donations to pay for another referendum campaign was spent on legal fees for senior party officials who were caught up in last year’s Holyrood inquiry into the Scottish Government’s mishandling of harassment complaints against Alex Salmond.

In addition, it was also claimed some of the cash was spent on a refurbishment of the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.

The party denies the claims but Police Scotland are investigating 12 counts of fraud. 

There are also growing calls for more transparency, especially regarding the salaries paid to Mr Murrell, who is Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, and other bosses.

The accounts show that £385,520 was spent on furniture, fixtures and fittings in 2020, along with £229,750 on computer equipment and more than £55,000 on software.

This expenditure eclipsed the £193,880 spent on campaigning.

The accounts also showed donations during the pandemic dropped by 55 percent from £904,000 to £416,000.

Overall the SNP had a surplus of £1,091,420, despite total income dropping to £4,427,000 from £5,290,000.

Sources said this is partly due to a drop in membership.

One SNP MSP said: “HQ operates like a secret society – they need to get out of the bunker, be more open and transparent or stories like this will continue to erode trust in the HQ and its leadership.

“It is clear that there needs to be a clear-out at the top, starting with the chief executive.”

At the same time, Holyrood opposition parties claimed the SNP’s fixation with independence has cost lives following a spike in drug deaths.

The country continues to have the worst drug death rate in Europe, with 21.2 deaths per 100,000 of the population, more than three-and-a-half times higher than the rest of the UK.

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Overall, the 1,339 figure for 2020 was five percent higher than the previous year, when 1,264 people died of drug-related causes, according to National Records of Scotland (NRS).

Sue Webber MSP, Scottish Conservatives’ drug spokeswoman, said: “The evidence is clear that Scotland’s drug deaths crisis began to spiral out of control from 2013 onwards.

“A deep problem became a crisis when the SNP dropped everything to push for independence.”

Pamela Nash, chief executive of pro-Union campaign group Scotland in Union, said “These are devastating figures, with each death a tragedy that has left loved ones without a parent, sibling, child, friend or neighbour.

“This shameful crisis is entirely of the SNP’s making, and no desperate attempt at spin by the First Minister can hide that fact.

“For far too long the SNP has taken its eye off the ball as it obsesses over independence, and these upsetting figures must now serve as an urgent reminder for the government to focus on the devolved public health and justice systems it controls.”

In response, an SNP spokesperson said: “The party is in great shape as we prepare to secure independence in a post-pandemic referendum.”

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