EXPOSED: SNP’S SECRET LINK TO DATA-ROW FIRM

Nationalists’ ‘hypocrisy’ over meeting with Cambridge Analytica

THE SNP was last night accused of ‘hypocrisy’ over the party’s secret links to data scandal firm Cambridge Analytica.

One of the company’s former leading executives told MPs that the firm – which harvested personal details from around 50million Facebook users – had held several meetings with the snP.

Brittany Kaiser’s revelation came only weeks after nicola sturgeon said that neither the snP nor Yes scotland had worked with Cambridge Analytica.

Last night, the snP admitted an ‘external consultant’ had met the company once in London – but refused to give details of when and who attended.

But Miss Kaiser insisted that the firm had held a number of meetings, including one ‘near the scottish parliament’.

The company is at the centre of a dispute about the harvesting of personal data from Facebook users and is being investigated by legal authorities in Britain and the us.

It is alleged the uK firm took information without permission in an attempt to boost Donald Trump’s vote in the 2016 us

elections. And it has been linked to the Brexit vote after it was revealed Cambridge Analytica had carried out work for Ukip and LeaveEU.

SNP chiefs were yesterday accused of ‘hypocrisy’ after senior party members, including Westminster leader Ian Blackford, urged the Tories to reveal any involvement with the firm – while failing to mention their own party’s links to it.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: ‘When Cambridge Analytica’s activities were first exposed, SNP leaders including Nicola Sturgeon and Ian Blackford all rushed to point the finger at political opponents over their links to it.

‘Now a senior former figure at Cambridge Analytica claims that, all along, the SNP has been holding secret discussions with the firm. If true, the hypocrisy from the Nationalists is jaw-dropping.’

Appearing before the Commons digital, culture, media and sport select committee yesterday, Miss Kaiser, Cambridge Analytica’s former director of program development, said there had been several meetings with the SNP in London and Edinburgh. She added they had met ‘near the Scottish parliament’ and could find emails which would show where and when the talks had taken place.

The SNP has been critical of the firm’s activities. Mr Blackford raised the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions when he urged Theresa May to provide ‘full disclosure’ on Tory links with it.

Ironically, the apparent link between the SNP and the company was revealed during questions in the Commons committee from Nationalist MP Brendan O’Hara. Miss Kaiser told him: ‘I believe that there were meetings that took place in London, where individuals came down from Edinburgh to visit us at our Mayfair headquarters.

‘And further meetings were undertaken in Edinburgh, near the parliament.’

A visibly surprised Mr O’Hara asked Miss Kaiser to expand on her claims, but the former executive said she was not part of the pitch or negotiations held with the SNP. However, she said that she could provide emails which would reveal who had attended the talks.

Following the revelations Mr Carlaw said Miss Kaiser’s claims showed ‘you simply can’t trust a word the SNP says’.

He added: ‘This is a devastating allegation by a former senior figure at Cambridge Analytica.

‘Given the detail provided to the committee, we need to see further clarity from the SNP over its links [to the firm]. Hasty denials simply won’t cut it.’

The SNP, which has its headquarters near the Scottish parliament, has been vocal in opposition to the company’s work, with MSP George Adam stating: ‘The operations of Cambridge Analytica raise very serious questions about our democracy.’

Last month, Miss Sturgeon claimed that neither the SNP nor Yes Scotland had engaged with Cambridge Analytica. She said then: ‘We haven’t hired them and to the best of my knowledge didn’t work with them.’

Scottish Labour campaigns spokesman Neil Findlay said: ‘This is a startling revelation which drags the SNP into a transatlantic political scandal.

‘The Nationalists must offer disclosure from these meetings as a matter of urgency.’

Last night, the SNP refused to answer a series of questions on the meetings – including who attended. A party spokesman said: ‘The SNP has never worked with Cambridge Analytica. An external consultant had one meeting in London. His assessment was that they were a “bunch of cowboys”, which turned out to be true. No further meetings were held.’

The former boss of Cambridge Analytica, Alexander Nix, had been due to give evidence in the Common’s today but he was forced to cancel yesterday.

Previously Mr O’Hara said that he had been relishing the chance to question Mr Nix on ‘his involvement in the independence referendum’.

He revealed his plans to quiz him on ‘who he spoke to, when he spoke to them, whether anything came of it and, if not, why not’.

Conservative MP Damian Collins, the chairman of the digital, culture, media and sport committee, confirmed that he may use further powers to force Mr Nix to appear – adding that there was no legal reason why he should not.

‘Hasty denials simply won’t cut it’

Claim: Ms Sturgeon said SNP had no links with firm

We haven’t hired them and to the best of my knowledge didn’t work with them Nicola Sturgeon

Evidence: Miss Kaiser spoke of meetings with the SNP

I do know we have been in pitches and negotiations with UK parties in the past, such as the SNP Brittany Kaiser