John Swinney blasts Peter Murrell for 'appalling breach of trust' over SNPembezzlement #snp

Added: 2026-06-04

[00:00:00]I'll say a few words first, and then I'll answer some of I want to just express the extent of my dismay at the following information that has been shared with the court this morning, which of course adds to what we learned last Monday, and express my horror at the contents of the material that has been set out.

[00:00:26]It is clear that there has been colossal breach of trust and a systematic series of criminal actions by Peter Murrell. And of course, that is it has been delivered by him by the deceit that he's perpetrated by the falsification of the information, the falsification of invoices, and all of that information has been conveyed to the court this morning, and it demonstrates exactly why this claim has been able to be perpetrated and why all of the normal safeguards that should work in the circumstances it was not successful in that respect.

[00:01:11]So, I think what this all demonstrates is an appalling breach of trust, and the court will obviously decide upon the further course of action that they take.

[00:01:23]For me, um obviously, I have come into office and I have strengthened the governance of the Scottish National party so that members of the party are able to freely and openly express their views.

[00:01:35]I have put in place the strongest level of financial control and financial assurance that I think is required, and that there is openness and transparency about the consideration of all financial items that are considered by the party, and the scrutiny that members of the National Executive Committee are entitled to expect to be able to exercise is there for them to be able to exercise.