SNP accused of ‘embezzling’ voters over Peter Murrell’s theft of party funds

The Scottish National party was accused of “embezzling” voters after opposition leaders highlighted the crisis over Peter Murrell’s misuse of £400,000 from party funds. The scandal over Murrell’s guilty plea on Monday to embezzling £400,310.65 while he was the SNP’s chief executive overshadowed a Holyrood motion tabled by John Swinney to call for a second independence referendum. Fulfilling a promise made during the Holyrood election campaign, the first minister used the first full day of parliamentary business on Tuesday to stage a symbolic vote calling for the power to stage a fresh referendum. Swinney offered no new legal or constitutional arguments that might force the UK government to agree to do so. Instead he challenged pro-UK parties to agree Scotland had a right to decide its own future. “Today, I seek confirmation from this parliament that this is a voluntary union and that the people of Scotland have the right to decide whether we remain in that union,” he told MSPs. “That is a principle that should be accepted by all those in this chamber who believe in independence but also all those who believe in the union. Because what is at stake are the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland.” Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said Swinney’s attempt to revisit this issue immediately after the election at a time of significant global insecurity and a cost of living crisis was evidence of the SNP’s selfishness. …