SNP – latest news: Humza Yousaf insists party not going bankrupt as Westminster makes threat

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:

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.”

SNP leader Humza Yousaf addressed questions over the sustainability of his party’s finances, telling reporters: “We are definitely not facing bankruptcy, I’m pleased to say we are on a steady footing when it comes to the party’s finances.”

“I don’t think parliament is the place to do a statement on the party’s finances, but I have of course instructed a governance and transparency review, and what that report comes in and I’ll make that public.”

Mr Yousaf, who yesterday became treasurer of the party, has revealed the SNP still has not paid back the full amount of a loan from ex-chief executive Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon’s husband.

“I think there is money still absolutely outstanding to Peter Murrell in terms of the repayment of the loan,” said the SNP leader.

Commons leader Penny Mordaunt said that if the SNP does not file audited accounts by 31 May their “short money” payments will be stopped.

The money is apportioned to all opposition parties to help them carry out parliamentary duties.

SNP leader Humza Yousaf said the party had not yet appointed new auditors and was “still in conversations” with prospective firms.

The party’s auditors quit towards the end of last year, though Mr Yousaf was kept in the dark about this until taking the leadership last month.

The SNP still owes money to its former chief executive Peter Murrell, Humza Yousaf has said.

The first minister also said the party is “not facing bankruptcy” and is on a “steady footing” financially.

It emerged in December that Mr Murrell, former leader Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, had loaned the party £100,000 in June 2021.

Speaking to journalists after First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Mr Yousaf was asked if money is still outstanding to Mr Murrell, who was arrested earlier this month by police investigating the SNP‘s finances.

Mr Yousaf said: “I think there is money still absolutely outstanding to Peter Murrell.”

He said he would lay out details of how much is owed after a review into the party’s governance takes place.

The minister charged with implementing Scotland’s deposit return scheme (DRS) has hit out at the Scottish Secretary as she announced that small containers and products with low sales would be exempt from the initiative.

The start of the DRS scheme was delayed from August to March earlier this week by First Minister Humza Yousaf, with Lorna Slater providing more detail on Thursday.

Under the Scottish Government initiative, a 20p deposit will be added to the price of drinks in cans and bottles which will be repaid to the consumer when they are returned to a retailer.

The scheme had previously caused concern among businesses, which Ms Slater said was primarily due to the UK Government not providing an exclusion to the Internal Market Act (IMA) and comments from Scottish Secretary Alister Jack.

“The primary cause of this has been the uncertainty created by the continued failure by the UK Government to issue an IMA exclusion,” she told MSPs.

“Together with public briefings against the scheme from the Secretary of State for Scotland, the effect has been corrosive, undermining confidence, stalling progress, halting private investment.

“Some businesses have said that they will simply not join the scheme because of the UK Government’s position, and there has been extensive feedback from industry that they are not willing to proceed with investments until they have clarity.”

There has been some argument around the request for the exemption to the IMA, with the UK Government claiming no such request has been made while the Scottish Government asserts it had been asked for by former deputy first minister John Swinney.

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, writes Andrew Grice.

SNP treasurer Colin Beattie has been arrested in connection with a police investigation into the party’s finances, the latest development in saga engulfing the party in power in Scotland.

It follows the arrest of chief executive Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, in connection with a Police Scotland probe. He was later released without charge pending further inquiries.

The probe into £660,000 raised specifically for Scottish independence campaigning was launched after it was alleged money was diverted from the “ring-fenced” fund – sparking the exit of senior people from the SNP.

Adam Forrest takes a closer look at how the story of the finance inquiry and the arrests have unfolded:

Senior members of the SNP fear that former leader Nicola Sturgeon could be the next figure to be arrested in the Police Scotland investigation into the party’s finances.

The SNP has been rocked by the arrest of former chief executive Peter Murrell and current treasurer Colin Beattie, both of whom were later released without charge pending further enquiries.

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.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has the details: