Former SNP treasurer 'didn't know' about motorhome

The SNP's erstwhile treasurer has said helium did not cognize that the enactment had bought a luxury motorhome.

Colin Beattie, who was successful the relation for a full of astir 20 years, was asked by journalists whether helium knew astir and had signed disconnected the purchase.

He replied: "No, I didn't cognize astir that".

Mr Beattie quit arsenic treasurer the time aft helium was arrested by constabulary arsenic portion of an ongoing probe into the party's finances.

He was subsequently released without complaint pending further investigation.

Mr Beattie aboriginal clarified that though helium didn't cognize astir the transaction astatine the clip of purchase, helium recovered retired astir it successful the 2021 yearly accounts.

The Niesmann and Bischoff vehicle, which tin retail for much than £100,000, was seized by constabulary from extracurricular the location of erstwhile SNP main enforcement Peter Murrell's parent successful Dunfermline.

The motorhome was removed connected 5 April - the aforesaid greeting that Mr Murrell became the archetypal elder enactment fig to beryllium arrested successful the probe.

Mr Murrell, who is joined to Nicola Sturgeon, was besides released without complaint pending further inquiry, with officers spending 2 days searching the couple's location successful Glasgow. The SNP's office successful Edinburgh were besides searched.

Ms Sturgeon said connected Tuesday that the situation that has engulfed the SNP successful caller weeks was her "worst nightmare" but insisted that the constabulary probe did not power her determination to basal down arsenic archetypal curate successful February.

She said she "could not person anticipated" what happened successful the weeks since she resigned and lone knew that her hubby was to beryllium arrested erstwhile officers arrived connected their doorstep.

Ms Sturgeon besides said she had not been spoken to by police, and intended to enactment connected arsenic MSP for Glasgow Southside.

But she refused to talk astir the motorhome, which is reported to person sat connected the driveway of her mother-in-law's location since January 2021.

Mr Beattie was not SNP treasurer astatine the time, having mislaid an interior ballot to Douglas Chapman the erstwhile November aft 16 years successful the role.

He was reappointed erstwhile Mr Chapman discontinue successful May 2021 aft saying helium had "not received the enactment oregon fiscal information" that was needed to transportation retired his duties arsenic treasurer.

The Daily Record said it had been told by enactment sources that the motorhome was bought arsenic a imaginable "battle bus" up of the past Scottish Parliament predetermination successful May of that twelvemonth but was ne'er used.

The enactment had mostly hired vehicles to usage during erstwhile predetermination campaigns.

Humza Yousaf, who succeeded Ms Sturgeon arsenic SNP person and archetypal curate past month, has antecedently said helium lone learned astir the motorhome aft helium won the enactment contention and saw a constabulary warrant that gave details of items officers wanted to confiscate.

The SNP's Westminster person Stephen Flynn was aboriginal asked astir the motorhome arsenic helium spoke astatine an Institute for Government lawsuit successful London, and said helium lone became alert of the acquisition "when it was printed connected the beforehand of a newspaper".

Scottish Conservative president Craig Hoy said Mr Beattie's admittance that helium did not cognize astir the motorhome "beggars belief" and near "serious questions to answer".

He added: "Humza Yousaf should person agelong since suspended elder SNP figures similar Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon and Colin Beattie portion this probe is ongoing, but helium has failed to amusement immoderate signs of leadership".

Scottish Labour lawman person Jackie Baillie said the revelation "lays bare the chaos astatine the bosom of the SNP", adding: "That the treasurer of the enactment did not cognize that implicit £100,000 had been spent connected a motorhome is mind-boggling."

The person of the SNP's Westminster group, Stephen Flynn, said connected Monday that it could miss retired connected £1.2m successful nationalist funds if it fails to record its accounts by the 31 May deadline.

The enactment is having problems uncovering caller auditors aft the erstwhile institution resigned successful September - though Mr Yousaf has said helium did not find retired the steadfast had discontinue until aft helium became enactment leader.

Senior figures successful the Westminster radical are said to beryllium astatine loggerheads aft erstwhile person Ian Blackford accused his successor Mr Flynn of giving him mendacious assurances astir the group's auditors.

Mr Blackford told the BBC helium had been told by Mr Flynn successful a telephone telephone connected 7 April that the radical had an auditor successful place, but a elder SNP root disputed his mentation of events.

The root said a treatment had taken spot "but nary assurances were provided that this would beryllium definite and would conscionable deadlines".

The BBC is incapable to verify which relationship is accurate.

The Westminster radical has inactive not recovered an auditor and elder figures person admitted that gathering the 31 May deadline volition beryllium "challenging".

The SNP arsenic a full has besides not yet appointed a caller auditor contempt having to record its accounts with the Electoral Commission by 7 July.

A spokeswoman for the committee said connected Tuesday: "The SNP informed america by telephone successful aboriginal February this twelvemonth that their auditors had resigned. They besides asked what the process would beryllium if they needed to inquire for an hold for submitting their accounts."

Mr Yousaf is owed to talk with SNP MPs connected Tuesday day arsenic portion of a sojourn to London that saw the caller archetypal curate conscionable Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the erstwhile evening.

Police Scotland launched its Operation Branchform probe successful July 2021 aft receiving complaints astir however much than £600,000 of donations raised by activists for a aboriginal independency referendum run were spent.

Questions were raised aft accounts showed the SNP had conscionable nether £97,000 successful the slope astatine the extremity of 2019, and full nett assets of astir £272,000.

Last twelvemonth it emerged that Peter Murrell gave a indebtedness of much than £100,000 to the SNP to assistance it retired with a "cash flow" contented aft the past election.