Joint Inquiry Advocated for SNP Financial Scandal
A former first minister is calling for a collaborative inquiry between the Scottish Parliament and the UK Parliament to investigate the alleged embezzlement of SNP funds by Peter Murrell. Jack McConnell, who served as First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, proposed that the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee should conduct a joint investigation with its equivalent committee at the Scottish Parliament.
Concerns Over Neutrality and Perception
Lord McConnell expressed that a joint committee would prevent the situation from being perceived as the UK Parliament interfering in Scottish political matters. This suggestion comes in the wake of Nicola Sturgeon’s first broadcast interview since her estranged husband pleaded guilty to the charges. Current First Minister John Swinney has previously rejected calls for a Holyrood-led inquiry into how Mr. Murrell allegedly embezzled £400,000 from the SNP.
Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee has indicated it might pursue its own investigation, with eight out of eleven members reportedly in support. However, Lord McConnell raised concerns about the perception of neutrality in such an inquiry, noting that almost all the MPs on the committee are Scottish and belong to unionist parties.
Scope and Importance of the Proposed Inquiry
Speaking on the matter, Lord McConnell highlighted the SNP’s significant presence at Westminster for a decade, during which they received substantial public funds for party operations. He stressed the need to examine issues related to the signing off of accounts and the seriousness with which these matters were treated.
“I think this should be a joint public inquiry,” Lord McConnell stated. “I think it should probably be led by the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons but it should be done equally and jointly with the equivalent committee at Holyrood.”
He further explained that this approach would ensure it is not seen as the UK Parliament overstepping into Scottish politics. Instead, it would address broader issues concerning political party funding, public money, and the transparency of how political parties manage small donations, which are concerns that extend across the UK and involve the Electoral Commission and the UK Parliament.
Lord McConnell favored the Public Accounts Committee due to its established reputation for neutrality, contrasting it with the Scottish Affairs Committee, which is predominantly composed of Scottish MPs from unionist parties. He acknowledged that a joint committee of this nature might be unprecedented but argued for its necessity.
“The purpose of it should be to make recommendations to stop this happening again in any party,” he emphasized. “It should not just be about getting to the bottom of what happened in the SNP, it should be about how do we strengthen our democracy.”
Analysis of committee memberships reveals only one Scottish MP on the Public Accounts Committee, while the Scottish Affairs Committee comprises almost exclusively Scottish MPs, with the SNP holding only one of the eleven seats.
Support for Inquiry from UK Government
In related developments, Pat McFadden, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, became the first UK cabinet minister to publicly support an inquiry. Mr. McFadden, who has Scottish roots, commented on the SNP’s long-standing dominance in Scottish politics, suggesting it was bolstered by a perceived claim to virtue that was not afforded to others.
“I think there should. And I think the reason there should is because there are two things going on here,” Mr. McFadden stated. “You have a marriage, and that was discussed a lot in the interview, but you also have the role of a political leader.”
He added, “And the SNP have been the dominant force in Scottish politics for 20 years, and that dominance has extended not just to politics but to society and culture, and it has been protected by a claim to virtue, which is often denied to those elsewhere in the UK, particularly to England. And I think that this culture and this claim to virtue has surrounded itself with control and secrecy, and that means that when these scandals hit – and the SNP is not the only party to be hit by a scandal, I should make that clear – the only way through it is full transparency.”
Mr. McFadden also expressed hope that the Scottish Parliament would “step up to the plate and show that it can do this.”
Lord McConnell’s remarks were made in anticipation of the Scotland 2050 conference, scheduled to take place in Edinburgh.
