Tory MPs Call for Sturgeon and Murrell to Testify in SNP Scandal Probe

Senior Conservative MPs have called for former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, to give evidence to a Westminster inquiry examining the fallout from the Scottish National Party's (SNP) embezzlement scandal. The probe is being launched by the cross-party Scottish Affairs Committee.

Harriet Cross, Shadow Scottish Secretary and a member of the committee, stated that both Sturgeon and Murrell should be called to answer questions. "There are a huge amount of questions that the public still have and a huge amount of public money has been spent on the [criminal] inquiry, not least via Police Scotland," Cross said. "So while questions still remain it does seem right that the public get answers to those."

When pressed on whether Murrell and Sturgeon should provide evidence, Cross added, "It is difficult to get answers third-hand, so I think you get the best answer from the person involved."

Alex Burghart, Conservative Party deputy leader, echoed these sentiments during a visit to Edinburgh. "The public deserve to have full disclosure and the press deserve to feel they have been given full transparency," he said. "As Harriet said, there are a huge number of questions to be answered and I would certainly like to see both of them giving evidence in public."

The Scottish Affairs Committee has the power to compel witnesses to appear and provide evidence, with potential sanctions including fines and imprisonment for refusal. The committee intends to investigate the funding and governance of political parties in Scotland, with a specific focus on the SNP's finances and the use of public money in relation to the Murrell embezzlement case. Murrell was previously jailed for embezzling over £400,000 from the SNP during his tenure as chief executive.

Other potential witnesses include current First Minister John Swinney and former Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain. Liberal Democrat Scottish affairs spokesman Susan Murray, also on the committee, has previously advocated for senior SNP and Scottish Government figures to testify.

The committee will also examine the dual role of the Lord Advocate, who serves as both the Scottish Government's chief legal advisor and head of the prosecution service.

Separately, Burghart criticized an SNP proposal for a food price cap on essential items, calling it "economically illiterate." Cross suggested the proposal was a political tactic aimed at creating conflict with Westminster.