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Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Skint SNP has lost thousands more members
The SNP has suffered a £1.1million collapse in finances and membership has fallen to below half its peak level. The party's annual accounts revealed a dramatic swing in the beleaguered party's fortunes as it prepares to fight next year's Holyrood election. Last night rivals warned that a party which couldn't even manage its own finances shouldn't be trusted with the nation's money. Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: 'Eyebrows will be raised about the financial sustainability of the SNP when they have such a deep deficit. People are deserting the SNP. They're skint.' The SNP accounts for the year to December 31 reveal: Membership fell from 64,525 to 56,011 in the year to June, representing a 55.4 per cent slump since the 2019 peak of 125,691 under Nicola Sturgeon SNP income fell by £247,838 to £4.5million, while spending rose £870,062 to £5million Membership income was down £260,928 to £1.8million but donations were up £567,859 to a seven-year high of £937,167 because of bequests The SNP ended 2024 with a £455,254 deficit, after a £661,568 surplus in 2023 Auditors put a 'qualified opinion' on the accounts for a second year as missing paperwork before July 2023 created 'inherent uncertainty' about levels of reserves The value of the infamous SNP motorhome impounded by police has fallen from over £100,000 to £41,284 and the party 'expects its future release' Former chief executive Peter Murrell, who was charged with embezzlement in March, has not asked for the return of £60,000 he loaned the party in 2021 and the money could be 'waived or written off' amid the 'uncertainty' The accounts showed a dramatic swing from a surplus of £660,000 in 2023 to the deficit of £455,000 in 2024. On paper, SNP reserves were £13,315 in the red, down from £441,939 in the black. The slump was driven by 8,514 members leaving and membership income falling £250,000, as well as a £276,000 'restructuring' exercise at SNP HQ to cut jobs and save cash. The Nationalists also spent £800,000 on a disastrous general election campaign under John Swinney in which they lost 39 of their 48 MPs. With the Holyrood election looming, SNP treasurer Stuart McDonald admitted funds to fight it were 'not in the same ballpark' as past years, but said finances were stable. The SNP spent £1.47million on the 2021 Holyrood election – more than any of its rivals – but its weak finances saw it outspent by both Scottish Labour and the Scottish Tories last year. Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy said: 'Financial incompetence is clearly the SNP's speciality. It is not surprising they are presiding over a growing black hole in Scotland's finances when they cannot get a grip of their own.' He said it was 'remarkable' that the party appeared to be making no effort to repay the money it owed to Mr Murrell. The accounts are more transparent than in past years, including over the impact of Operation Branchform, the police probe into fundraising which saw the estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon, charged. In his report, Mr McDonald states: 'While we remain by far and away Scotland's largest political party – with 56,011 members as at 1st June 2025 – we continue to face the challenge of membership numbers declining from historic and extraordinary highs.' He said 'very difficult but important changes were required to improve the party's finances' including one to 'downsize our HQ team' from 26 to 19. Redundancies and restructuring had contributed to the deficit but would 'realise significant spending reductions in the months ahead'. 'These steps, though difficult, have stabilised our finances,' he said. The accounts show SNP HQ stayed afloat thanks to borrowing from its branches. These were owed £459,201 last year, more than £100,000 up on 2023. The SNP Westminster group, which produces separate accounts, saw its deficit grow from £87,991 to £155,803 after the general election rout. Scottish Labour doubled its income to £2.1million thanks to a £545,000 boost from UK HQ to fight the election. Dame Jackie said: 'Eyebrows will be raised about the financial sustainability of the SNP when they have such a deep deficit. 'The public will also ask why the party's former chief executive Peter Murrell is set to be given legal aid at the expense of the taxpayer when he has seemingly made no request to the SNP for the outstanding £60,000 he loaned them to be repaid – and that this could now be waived or written off.' An SNP spokesman said: 'The SNP is the largest political party in Scotland by far and it is very encouraging to see extraordinary levels of donations over the course of last year – the highest since 2017.'
Times
6 hours ago
- Times
Hide wealth from your wife, former Rangers owner advises men
The former Rangers owner Craig Whyte is offering advice to men on how to hide their wealth from their wives during divorces. The controversial businessman is dishing out tips on the best way to shield assets in offshore trusts through his own YouTube channel. Whyte took over Sir David Murray's majority shareholding in Rangers for £1 in 2011, while agreeing to take on millions in debt. He used money projected to come from future season tickets to allow him to complete his purchase. Whyte was cleared of fraudulently taking over Rangers after a 31-day trial in 2017 ALAMY However, under Whyte's stewardship, Rangers Football Club went into administration and then liquidation in 2012 after it failed to pay more than £21 million to HMRC in National Insurance and PAYE contributions.
Sky News
6 hours ago
- Sky News
SNP membership falls, deficit soars and £100,000 campervan now only worth £41,000, accounts reveal
Why you can trust Sky News The SNP spent more than £100,000 on the campervan that was seized from the driveway of Nicola Sturgeon's mother-in-law, the party's financial accounts have revealed. The luxury vehicle, which was confiscated two years ago by Police Scotland as part of Operation Branchform, remains impounded and is now worth less than half of its original cost. Financial accounts for last year show the party spent £100,790 on the motorhome, but that has since depreciated to £41,284 as of 31 December 2024. Treasurer Stuart McDonald said: "This asset has been impounded by authorities since April 2023 and has not been available for the party's use since that time. "The party retains ownership of the motorhome and expects its future release." The SNP said the cost is based on the assumption that there has been "no additional impairment beyond normal depreciation" while in the custody of the national force. The 2024 accounts, published by the Electoral Commission this week, show a £455,254 deficit - compared to a surplus of £661,568 the year before. Mr McDonald explained: "It is important to point out that a deficit of this nature is not unusual during a parliamentary election year - for example 2021, 2017 and 2016 all saw similar or greater deficits incurred. "It is also important to point out that significant steps have been taken to improve financial performance, and the one-off costs of some of these steps account for much of that deficit, but have already delivered significant savings since." Decreasing membership numbers, staff redundancies, and the loss of MPs at last year's general election were said to have impacted the party's finances. Membership has fallen to 56,011 as of 1 June 2025, down from 64,525 the same time last year and less than half of its peak of around 125,000 in 2019. Membership fees stood at £1,833,039 in 2024, down from £2,093,967 the previous year. However, donations surged from £369,308 in 2023 to £937,167 in 2024 - the highest level since 2017. The accounts show the party still owes former chief executive Peter Murrell £60,000 following a loan of £107,620 in 2021. The party repaid £47,620 the same year. Mr Murrell, the estranged husband of former first minister Ms Sturgeon, has been charged with embezzlement, with a further court date to be set. Ms Sturgeon was also arrested as part of the police probe into the SNP's funding and finances, however the investigation was later dropped with no further action to be taken. The campervan was seized from the driveway of the Dunfermline home of Mr Murrell's mother. In regards to the loan, Mr McDonald said: "There is no formal loan agreement in place, no interest is charged on the outstanding balance, and no specific repayment terms have been agreed. "The former chief executive has not formally requested repayment of the outstanding balance. "Due to the absence of agreed repayment terms and the lack of recent communication regarding settlement, there is uncertainty as to when, or if, this loan will be repaid to the former chief executive, and whether it may ultimately be waived or written off." The annual accounts of the SNP Westminster group of MPs were also published, showing a deficit of £155,803. The accounts were independently audited by MMG Chartered Accountants, which identified no "material uncertainties". Craig Hoy MSP, the Scottish Conservative shadow finance secretary, said the deficit in the SNP's accounts showed the party "cannot be trusted to even run their own finances, never mind the ever-growing blackhole they are presiding over in Scotland's finances". An SNP spokesperson said: "The SNP is the largest political party in Scotland by far and it is very encouraging to see extraordinary levels of donations over the course of last year - the highest since 2017. "Our success relies on all of our members and supporters who contribute in whatever way they can. "We are approaching the 2026 election ahead in the polls and ready to take our positive vision of Scotland's future as an independent country to the people."
