Opposition parties have called for SNP transparency after a party source claimed a luxury campervan seized from the Fife home of Peter Murrell’s mother was purchased as an election battle bus.
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy described suggestions that the vehicle was purchased for campaigning ahead of the 2021 Holyrood vote as “less than convincing”.
The Daily Record reported an SNP insider said the motorhome was purchased to avoid using hotels while Covid restrictions were in place.
It’s claimed this plan was later ditched as pandemic curbs were increasingly eased.
Call for transparency
The vehicle was seized by officers from outside the home of 92-year-old Margaret Murrell on Wednesday – around the same time Mr Murrell was arrested in a probe into SNP finances.
He was later released without charge pending further investigation.
Mr Hoy said: “The SNP insider’s claims relating to the £110,000 motorhome are – to put it mildly – less than convincing.”
The controversy surrounding the party’s finances deepened on Tuesday as it emerged their auditors quit last year.
Mr Hoy added: “Humza Yousaf’s claims that he didn’t know until a few days ago that the SNP’s auditors resigned six months ago is astonishing – and points to a huge and inexcusable failing in how the party was run by Peter Murrell.
“There is now no way for the SNP to have even the faintest shred of credibility until it ditches its culture of secrecy and is fully transparent about its finances and internal management.”
Mr Hoy called on the party to “belatedly open the books and be upfront about every aspect of this scandal – including the luxury motorhome”.
Former SNP chief Mr Murrell was taken into custody for 11 hours before being released without charge as officers searched his Lanarkshire home for evidence.
Labour deputy Jackie Baillie said: “The SNP is now testing the credulity of the people of Scotland to the extreme.”
An SNP spokesperson said: “It would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation.
“The SNP has been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so.”