Scottish National Party leader Humza Yousaf has denied reports that the party faces bankruptcy as it emerged forensic auditors could be appointed to comb through its finances.
Mr Yousaf, Scotland's First Minister, said senior party members had agreed to hold a governance and transparency review after a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC).
It comes as police continue to investigate SNP finances in an operation which led to the arrest and subsequent release without charge of former chief executive Peter Murrell.
Mr Yousaf said the NEC meeting had been "positive".
Meanwhile, Mr Yousaf is facing calls to suspend former SNP leader and first minister, Nicola Sturgeon over claims she prevented the party from hiring a fundraising manager, which colleagues wanted to better understand how donations were being collected and spent.
Leaked emails allegedly show Ms Sturgeon blocked the appointment in June 2021, according to The Sunday Mail.
Speaking to reporters shortly after the NEC meeting at the weekend, Mr Yousaf said: "We're not close to bankruptcy. This is something I've read in some social media circles but, no, the party is solvent.
"We will ensure we have external input, particularly around the issues of financial oversight.
"So, that may well be forensic accountants, it may well be some other means and method — but I think around the additional financial oversight, external input is really important."
He said an interim report on the review was expected in June, with a full document, due in autumn, to be made public.
Mr Yousaf said the party was "desperate" to appoint auditors.
It was revealed last week that he was unaware before becoming leader that the previous auditors had resigned more than six months ago.
He added: "I'm not concerned about what they might find. I'm concerned about the fact that, from my perspective, we could improve our governance and our transparency and I'm concerned about the fact that in six months we haven't been able to find auditors."
Potential by-election
Mr Yousaf was speaking at a campaign event in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, where a by-election could soon be held.
Sitting MP Margaret Ferrier won the seat for the SNP in 2019 but was later found to have damaged the reputation of the House of Commons and placed people at risk by taking part in a debate and travelling by train while suffering from Covid-19.
If she is barred from the Commons for 10 days or more, that could trigger a recall petition, which would result in a by-election in the constituency — although 10 per cent of voters there would need to support the motion for a poll to go ahead.
Parliament has yet to determine her punishment but the Commons Standards Committee has already recommended Ms Ferrier — who now sits as an independent — should be suspended for 30 days.
Mr Yousaf said he was "hopeful" of winning if a by-election was held.
"I think it will be a challenging by-election for us," he said. "I'm not going to pretend otherwise in the context of Margaret's actions, plus also last week has been difficult.
"But we should also go in confident. We've got a good ground operation here. We know where a lot of our support is in the constituency."
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: "Voters won't forget Margaret Ferrier's reckless rule-breaking, no matter how many SNP campervans are dispatched to Rutherglen.
"As Humza Yousaf desperately scrambles to hold his crumbling party together, Scottish Labour is offering real change.
"The SNP is chaotic and divided — the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West deserve better."
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NBA Finals results
Game 1: Warriors 124, Cavaliers 114
Game 2: Warriors 122, Cavaliers 103
Game 3: Cavaliers 102, Warriors 110
Game 4: In Cleveland, Sunday (Monday morning UAE)
The years Ramadan fell in May
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
'Saand Ki Aankh'
Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Racecard
5.25pm: Etihad Museum – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m
6pm: Al Shindaga Museum – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (Dirt) 1,200m
6.35pm: Poet Al Oqaili – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m
7.10pm: Majlis Ghurfat Al Sheif – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,600m
7.45pm: Hatta – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m
8.20pm: Al Fahidi – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m
8.55pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m
9.30pm: Coins Museum – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
10.05pm: Al Quoz Creative – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
More on animal trafficking
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The biog
Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos
Favourite spice: Cumin
Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
