Sunday Mail (UK)

Vid shows furious former FM claim SNP finances are strong

- ■ John Ferguson

Bombshell footage of Nicola Sturgeon furiously insisting

SNP finances had “never been stronger” is today published by the Sunday Mail.

In a meeting of the party’s ruling body in March 2021 the ex-first minister warns her officials to be “very careful” about suggesting there were “any problems” with the accounts.

Jewellery purchases are being probed by police as part of a fraud probe sparked weeks later by claims of misappropr­iated donations. In the video, Sturgeon lashes out after three members of her finance and audit committee resigned because they were refused access to the books. She said: “The party has never been in a stronger financial position than it is right now and that’s a reflection of our strength and our membership.

“I’m not going to get into the details...but just be very careful about suggestion­s there are problems with the party’s finances, because we depend on donors. There are no reasons for people to be con-con cerned about thee party’s finances, and alll of us need to be carefulful about not suggesting there is.

“We’ve got to be care-careful we don’t reapp what we sow, if we haveve leaks from this body itt limits the ability for openpen discussion.”

The statement came after ex

Edinburgh lord provost Frank Ross, Allison Graham, and Cynthia Guthrie resigned from the finance and audit committee. We revealed cops were probing fraud claims in April 2021, and in June that year Murrell loaned the party £107,000. Treasurer Douglas Chapman, left, also quit in protest at not being given the financial data. SNP MP JoanJoanna Cherry said: “I never seens businessne­ss conduccond­ucted in such an inadequate­inadequa way as it is on the SNP NEC.”

The NEC hash ordered a review of trtranspar­ency and governance­governan with “external input”.inpu

Watch the videovid at dailyrecor­d.da co.cuk

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 ?? ?? Sturgeon told members ‘to be very careful’ there were no leaks from party’s finance and audit committee
Sturgeon told members ‘to be very careful’ there were no leaks from party’s finance and audit committee
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