Macaskill calls for Murrell’s suspension

● MP says party previously acted swiftly over hints of inappropriate conduct

A senior SNP MP has called for the suspension of the party’s chief executive Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, over the handling of what he claims were “entirely inappropriate” text messages about former first minister Alex Salmond.

Kenny Macaskill said the party has previously taken “swift” action against party members when there has been a “hint of inappropriate conduct”, but he claimed nothing has been done regarding Mr Murrell.

It comes after texts were made public which rep or tedly show Mr Murrell calling for pressure to be put on police investigating the former first minister.

Mr Mac as kill, a former Scottish justice secretary who is now the MP for East Lothian, said the party’s ruling National Executive Committee had refused to discuss the issue when it met recently, “despite the pleas and demands of several members”.

Writing on the Wings Over Scotland website, Mr Macaskill said the SNP “have historically been swift to suspend any party members when there’ s any hint of inappropriate conduct, never mind even a whiff of illegality”.

He added: “It’s been that way since 2015, with the axe falling on elected members as well as candidates in target seats and critical elections, and ordinary activists.

“So why then no action against the chief executive?”

In 2015, party bossess usp ended the nM P Michelle Thomson while police investigated property deals, although she denied any wrongdoing. Criminal proceedings were never brought, and in 2019 she rejoined the SNP.

Mr Mac As kill added :“It’ s over a week since revelations broke of Whatsapp messages sent by Peter Murrell to his chief operating officer pur - porting to encourage pressure be brought to bear on police in the Alex Salmond case.

“Now those things may or may not be criminal but it’s certainly conduct unbecoming of a party chief executive, raising questions about both him and his actions.

“After all, the SNP is the governing party and seeking to influence criminal investigations is simply unacceptable.”

In a separate piece for The Scots man newspaper, Mr Mac As kill, an ally of the former first minister, said he had been sent a document revealing the messages.

He claimed: “I received an anonymous letter through the post. There was neither name nor covering letter with it, simply a document that purported to be messages from the SNP chief executive to another senior staffer.

“The terms suggested pressure be brought to bear on police investigating Alex Salmond. The terms of the messages are clear and the actions, even if not criminal, are entirely inappropriate.”

A Holy rood committee is investigating the Scottish Government’s handling of sexual harassment allegations made against Mr Salmond, and Mr Macaskill insisted the inquiry must be robust. The Committee was set up to investigate after the Court of Session ruled the way the Scottish Government dealt with the allegations was “unlawful”.