RUSSELL: THIS IS SNP’S BIGGEST CRISIS IN 50 YEARS

THE SNP cannot achieve independence ‘right now’, the party’s president has admitted.

Mike Russell, a close ally of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, conceded the party was on a knife edge amid a seismic police probe into its financial affairs and the resignation of CEO Peter Murrell, Ms Sturgeon’s husband.

But SNP sources last night criticised Mr Russell for inflaming the crisis. One said: ‘Mike means well, but he has just fanned the flames of this situation. We need it to burn out and get it back under control.’

In an interview with The Herald, Mr Russell said: ‘In my 50-year association with the party this is the biggest and most challenging crisis we have ever faced. I don’t think independence can be secured right now – we need to work towards some coordinated campaigning. But I think this is achievable.’

Mr Russell said there would be a wide-ranging review of the SNP’s governance and transparency, a pledge also made last week by First Minister Humza Yousaf.

Remarkably however, he appeared to slightly distance himself from Mr Yousaf, saying: ‘Like it or not, the party has chosen Humza to do this and I want to help him as much as I can.

‘Parties and institutions are fallible. In a sense, though, it’s a case of, the King is dead, long live the King. That’s the way it’s got to be.’

Meanwhile, reports in The Times suggested that Keith Brown, the deputy SNP leader sacked from Mr Yousaf’s cabinet, had his warnings about party transparency ignored in 2021.

His demands for ‘a monthly written summary of income and expenditure’ were said to have been shelved by top brass, including Mr Murrell.