Crown Office receives police report on MP

Prosecutors have received a report from police into fraud allegations involving MP Natalie McGarry.

It is understood the alleged offences are linked to her involvement with the group Women For Independence, which was set up in the run up to the 2014 Scottish referendum, and with the SNP’s Glasgow Regional Association.

The Crown Office confirmed it has received a police report covering alleged incidents between March 2013 and August 2016, and it is now under consideration by the procurator fiscal.

The amount of money allegedly involved is a five-figure sum, according to sources.

Ms McGarry, 35, voluntarily attended Govan police station in Glasgow on Tuesday and was formally charged.

A Crown Office spokesman said: “The procurator fiscal has received a report concerning a 35-year-old female, in connection with alleged incidents said to have occurred between March 26 2013 and August 15 2016.

“The report is currently under consideration by the procurator fiscal.”

Ms McGarry was elected as the SNP MP for the Glasgow East constituency in May 2015, when Nicola Sturgeon’s party won all but three of the 59 Scottish seats at Westminster.

In November she withdrew from the party whip as police continued to investigate concerns over missing donations from the prominent pro-independence group. As a result she was automatically suspended from the party, and she currently sits as an independent MP.

Her lawyer, Aamer Anwar, said on Tuesday that she was charged with “several alleged offences, including embezzlement of funds, breach of trust and an offence under the Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013”.

The MP has previously insisted there has been “no wrongdoing” on her part.