The police investigation into the Scottish National Party’s finances could be the party’s biggest crisis in 50 years, a senior party figure has said.
Mike Russell, the ruling party’s president and former minister, told Scottish media that he did not think that independence from the UK could be secured “right now.”
Following former first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignation in February, the newly appointed party leader Humza Yousaf was sworn into the Scottish parliament last week.
But on Wednesday, police investigating the party’s spending of £600,000 searched Ms Sturgeon’s home for more than a day and arrested Peter Murrell, her husband. Mr Murrell, a former chief executive of the party, was released the same evening without charge.
The SNP’s auditors, accountants, Johnston Carmichael, have announced their resignation.
The probe is the latest in a string of political upheavals that have rocked Scotland’s ruling party, which sought independence in a 2014 referendum.
In an interview with Scottish newspaper The Herald, Mr Russell admitted that the probe had been “wearing” for everyone in the party. “In my 50-year association with the party this is the biggest and most challenging crisis we've ever faced, certainly while we've been in government,” he said.
“I don’t think independence can be secured right now. My main focus is how we can create a new 'Yes' movement that allows for different visions but is conducted in an atmosphere of mutual trust," he told the newspaper.
But he added that rebuilding that trust within the party was going to be “really tough, given where we currently are.”
Mr Russell backed Mr Yusaf’s pledges for a review of the party’s governance. “We need a thorough, intensive, accountable and open examination of governances inside the party,” he said, “That has to happen.”
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
