Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf reveals SNP auditors resigned six months in the past – and he didn’t beforehand know

The SNP has been accused of hiding the actual fact its accounting agency resigned six months in the past after its new chief revealed it did so and implied he was not beforehand conscious.

Humza Yousaf mentioned Johnston Carmichael stopped doing the SNP’s accounting “round about October” of final 12 months however he couldn’t “comment on what was done prior to me becoming a leader of the SNP”.

The SNP chief and Scotland’s first minister didn’t say why they’d stop then.

Mr Yousaf, who was in Nicola Sturgeon’s cupboard, agreed it was “extraordinary” that the celebration had didn’t appoint a brand new set of auditors since they’d resigned.

His revelation got here after it emerged final week Johnston Carmichael was now not dealing with the SNP’s accounts.

Days earlier than, former celebration chief govt and Ms Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell was arrested and questioned by police investigating the celebration’s funds.

Mr Murrell, who had been within the position for 25 years, stop through the contest to seek out Ms Sturgeon’s successor after she unexpectedly introduced her resignation.

Last week he was questioned by Police Scotland as a part of its investigation into the place £600,000 of celebration donations earmarked for independence campaigning has gone.

Mr Murrell was launched with out cost “pending further investigation”, police mentioned.

Opposition events mentioned Mr Yousaf’s revelation concerning the auditors resigning raised even additional questions on who knew what about their funds.

MSP Jackson Carlaw, Scottish Conservative chief from 2019 to 2020, mentioned: “Why did they hide it from the membership and the public? All very grubby and murky from the Nats. No wonder auditors resigned,” he tweeted.

Mr Yousaf, who was solely elected chief simply over two weeks in the past, mentioned one of many celebration’s “major priorities” is appointing new auditors “quickly”.

But he mentioned the SNP hopes to nonetheless have its accounts ready in time to be submitted to watchdogs on the Electoral Commission in July, though that will likely be “problematic”, he admitted.

Scottish Conservative chief Douglas Ross mentioned it was “yet another massive understatement” from Mr Yousaf.

“The SNP have been without auditors for more than six months while the police investigate serious allegations about £600,000 of funds,” he mentioned.

“The questions for Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf to answer are growing.”

Scottish Labour’s deputy chief Jackie Baillie mentioned “the plot continues to thicken” and the actual fact the SNP “did not come clean about this for months stinks to high heavens”.

She added it was “deeply worrying” in the event that they haven’t but been in a position to substitute their auditors and it’s “time for the secrecy to end”.

SNP won’t pay Peter Murrell’s authorized charges

The first minister refused to conform to droop Mr Murrell from the celebration however mentioned it won’t be paying his authorized charges.

“I operate on the premise that people are innocent until proven guilty,” he advised ITV Border.

“He’s obviously been questioned, as we know, under caution.

“He’s now not the chief govt of the celebration – I’ll be castigated, I’m certain, if we pay his authorized charges and castigated if we do not pay his authorized charges.

“So, we’ve taken the 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.”

Read extra: Sturgeon will ‘absolutely cooperate’ with police inquiry after husband arrested

Mr Yousaf insisted the SNP stays in a “position of strength” and has the chance to rebuild below his management.

He mentioned he has requested the SNP’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) to hold out a overview into governance and transparency, with a movement to be introduced at a gathering on Saturday.

He additionally mentioned he would “very imminently” verify if he’ll launch authorized motion in opposition to the UK authorities after it blocked a invoice backed by MSPs that may have made it simpler and faster to alter gender.

During his management marketing campaign he made it clear the block was an “undemocratic veto over legislation that was passed by a majority of the Scottish Parliament”.