Humza Yousaf is fielding questions from MSPs, one day after he was thrust into the role of overseeing the SNP’s accounts.
Meanwhile, senior SNP figures fear Nicola Sturgeon will be the next to be arrested in a probe of the party’s finances.
Mr Yousaf, her successor as party leader and Scottish first minister, Humza Yousaf, is also under pressure from his MSPs to take “decisive and quick action” to avoid disaster at the next election, as the party hobbles through a Police Scotland investigation into how £660,000 of SNP donations earmarked for independence campaigning was spent, following allegations of fraud.
Treasurer Colin Beattie quit on Wednesday after police leading the investigation detained him for questioning. He said in a statement he believed it was the “right decision to avoid further distraction”.
One senior SNP figure told The Independent it was likely that Ms Sturgeon would also be arrested, given that she is one of the three names believed to be on party accounts.
Penny Mordaunt compares SNP drama to ‘episode of Taggart’
Penny Mordaunt, leader of the House of Commons, said it has been “a very painful week” for the SNP, adding amid laughter from MPs: “For some time now, BBC Politics Scotland has resembled an episode of Taggart.”
Tory peer’s suggestion of rolling back devolution condemned by party colleagues
A column written by a senior Conservative peer which suggested stripping Scotland of devolved powers has been widely condemned, including by some in his own party.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, former lead Brexit negotiator Lord Frost urged Tory ministers, “if re-elected”, to begin to “review and roll back some currently devolved powers” in light of the issues facing the SNP.
“We, the Conservative Party and the Conservative Government, have allowed this to happen,” he wrote.
More on Lord Frost’s comments and the reaction, here:
Labour suggests MSPs under police investigation should be suspended
Labour has suggested members of the Scottish Parliament who are under police investigation should be suspended amid inquiries into SNP finances.
Shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire referenced the police investigation into the SNP’s finances in the Commons, saying First Minister Humza Yousaf should suspend MSPs who are the subject of police inquiries.
She also raised questions about the party’s auditors.
The full story can be found here:
The ‘fresh start for Scotland’ has turned into an episode of The Thick of It | Voices
Andrew Grice offers his take on the shocking movements at the top of Scottish politics:
The “fresh start for Scotland” promised by Humza Yousaf when he set out his agenda as the country’s first minister turned into an episode of The Thick of It, farcically overshadowed by the arrest of Colin Beattie, the SNP treasurer.
“Of course I’m surprised that one of my colleagues has been arrested,” Yousaf unwisely told a scrum of reporters. Malcolm Tucker would have exploded.
The full piece can be found here:
SNP accused of ‘poor stewardship’ of public money
Meanwhile in Westminster, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt has accused the SNP of “poor stewardship” of public money.
Responding to shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire, she said: “(Ms Debbonaire) raises the matter of the SNP and short money. And although we all enjoy a joke at the SNP’s expense, these are really serious matters.
“I shan’t comment on her suggestion about people being suspended under police investigation, to save her blushes, it might have included the Leader of the Opposition (Sir Keir Starmer) who has been in that camp before.
“But these matters are not a matter for me. But I understand that unless the SNP have audited accounts by March 31 they will lose their short money after the April payment.
“I understand also that Ipsa may also have considerations to make. I think the SNP’s membership will feel rightly let down by this, similar to how the rest of Scotland will feel with the SNP’s poor stewardship of public money.”
Humza Yousaf responds to a request from the Scottish Tory leader to make a statement regarding the financial storm surrounding the SNP.
The first minister said he understands he has to address these issues.
“I’m not going to shy away from that,” he said.
He went on: “What I’m doing, what we collectively as the government are doing, is focusing on the day job.”
FMQs: Humza Yousaf faces MSPs amid SNP storm
Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf is fielding questions from MSPs at Holyrood now.
First up is Douglas Ross, Scottish Tory leader.
SNP treasurer Colin Beattie quits as party fears Sturgeon could be arrested next
SNP treasurer Colin Beattie has quit a day after being questioned by police investigating the party’s finances, as senior figures fear Nicola Sturgeon could be the next to be arrested (Archie Mitchell writes).
The MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh was taken into custody by Police Scotland on Tuesday for questioning and released without charge.
And on Wednesday Mr Beattie said he was stepping down as party treasurer “with immediate effect” and also giving up his role on the Scottish parliament’s public audit committee.
Click here for the full story:
Labour MP apologises after calling Humza Yousaf ‘Mohammed Yousaf’ on live TV
A senior Labour MP has apologised after calling Scotland’s first minister Humza Yousaf “Mohammed” during a live TV interview (Emily Atkinson writes).
Shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland Peter Kyle made the mistake during an appearance on Sky News today, while championing Scottish Labour as a “credible alternative” to the Scottish National Party, led by Mr Yousaf.
The newly-minted first minister succeeded Nicola Sturgeon following her sudden resignation in March. Mr Yousaf took the helm just days before Ms Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, was arrested in connection with the police probe into the SNP’s finances.
Mr Kyle’s gaffe occurred during an interview with Sky News’s Niall Paterson, who asked the MP for Hove whether Mr Yousaf should suspend Ms Sturgeon from the party.
Click here for the full story:
Ex-SNP chief executive Murrell seen in public for first time since arrest
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has been seen in public for the first time since his arrest.
Nicola Sturgeon’s husband was detained earlier this month and questioned by detectives for 11 hours before being released without charge “pending further investigation”.
Police investigating the party’s finances also arrested the then SNP treasurer Colin Beattie on Tuesday, who was later released without charge, while a motorhome which was intended to be used for party campaigning was seized from the driveway of Mr Murrell’s mother.
Mr Murrell was spotted by the PA news agency leaving the home he shares with ex-first minister Ms Sturgeon near Glasgow on Thursday morning.
Murrell leaves his home in Uddingston, Glasgow
” height=”2333″ width=”3500″ layout=”responsive” class=”i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined” i-amphtml-layout=”responsive”> Murrell leaves his home in Uddingston, Glasgow
