MP refuses to resign party whip despite police probe

Chris Law questioned by police and released pending further inquiries

SNP MP Chris Law has refused to resign the party whip despite a police investigation being launched into his financial dealings.

The Dundee West MP has not followed the example of Natalie Mcgarry and Michelle Thomson, who both severed their links with the party amid similar controversies, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon indicated yesterday.

It was revealed yesterday that Mr Law had been questioned and detained.

He has not been charged and has been released pending further inquiries.

The SNP MP Chris Law has refused to resign the party whip despite a police investigation being launched into his financial dealings.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon yesterday indicated that the Dundee West MP had not followed the example of Natalie Mcgarry and Michelle Thomson.

Ms Mcgarry and Ms Thomson both resigned the whip, severing their links with the SNP, amid similar controversies.

Ms Mcgarry was charged this week in connection with alleged fraud offences.

Mr Law became involved with the police when it was revealed yesterday he had been questioned and detained. He has not been charged and has been released pending further inquiries.

When asked if mr law would resign the whip, Ms Sturgeon said: “He is confident that this matter can be resolved and I think we should let that process take its course.”

When it was pointed out that Ms Mcgarry and Ms Thomson took the step, the First Minister added: “Michelle and Natalie took the decision to resign the whip. Chris’s position is that he is of the view and he is confident of the view that when he provides the further information to the police that he’s agree to then he will resolve the matter so I think at this stage that process should be allowed to take its course.”

The investigation is said to relate to the Spirit of Independence campaign run by Mr Law during the 2014 referendum.

The campaign saw him travel across Scotland in a refurbished Green Goddess fire engine flying the flag for independence.

The matter came up at First Minister’s Questions when the Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser contrived to raise it during a question about police budgets.

Mr Fraser asked: “Given the number of the First Minister’s Westminster colleagues now helping the police with their inquiries, is the First Minister confident that Police Scotland has the resources to deal with this upsurge in their workload?”

His contribution raised laughs on the opposition benches, but Ms Sturgeon replied deadpan that she had committed to real-terms protection of the police budget.

When questioned by journalists after her Holyrood appearance, Ms Sturgeon also commented on Ms Mcgarry’s case the day after the Glasgow East MP was charged with several charged including embezzlement.

Police have been examining claims she was linked to tens of thousands of pounds in missing donations from Women for Independence (WFI).

“The charges against Natalie Mcgarry are serious criminal charges,” the First Minister said.

“They now have to be dealt with in a court of law and since that matter is now the subject of criminal charges it would be completely inappropriate for me to say anything else about it.”