First Minister admits SNP’s indy ref “fighting fund” has been spent
It was the question that triggered the initial investigation into SNP finances, what happened to money raised to fight another independence referendum campaign?
More than £650,000 was given to the party after launching an appeal for donations in 2017, money donors were told would be “ring-fenced” for a second referendum campaign.
But questions about the whereabouts of the fund are again being asked following the conviction of ex-chief executive Peter Murrell who admitted embezzling more than £400,000.
Our Political Editor Alan Smith put that to John Swinney during a visit in Glasgow and was told “That money is part of the resources that are available to the SNP and support its independence objectives, and the SNP is the party of independence, and we just campaigned for Scottish independence at the Scottish Parliament elections.”
Pushed on whether all the money was now gone, the First Minister added: “I'm saying it's part of the on-going activities of the SNP, and we're the party that campaigns for independence. We just fought an election campaign in which we had a very, very strong anchoring of our campaign for independence. If that's not the use of the resources then I'm not sure I understand what the resources are for."
The SNP has previously denied suggestions the money had been spent on election campaigning insisting it was earmarked for a referendum campaign.
Asked whether the SNP would have that funding available should there be an independence vote in the coming years, John Swinney responded “Well, obviously, I want to make sure that the SNP fights well-funded campaigns to secure Scottish independence, and that's the solemn commitment I give to people.”
Responding to our interview with the First Minister, Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said “After spending the past week angrily shouting at opposition politicians and journalists, John Swinney has finally admitted that the SNP have defrauded their members again.
“SNP members and supporters donated their hard-earned money believing it would be used for a future referendum campaign. John Swinney has now admitted that it became part of the SNP’s general resources.
“People will rightly ask whether they were misled. They will rightly ask why the SNP continues to resist scrutiny. And they will rightly ask why John Swinney is so desperate to avoid a full inquiry.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay added “John Swinney’s confession that the SNP spent ‘ringfenced’ referendum money on other things is damning.
“This surely destroys any residual trust in this shady political party whose tactics of dishonesty, intolerance and omerta increasingly resemble that of an organised crime group.”