More keeps pouring out about the Scottish National party’s culture of secrecy. As revealed by the Times today, deputy leader Keith Brown suggested in 2021, four months after the police investigation into party finances – Operation Branchform – had commenced, that the SNP should produce a monthly summary of income and expenditure. Two key figures, Douglas Chapman and Joanna Cherry, had already resigned from their posts over concerns about party transparency, while several members of the finance committee had also quit. Yet Peter Murrell, chief executive of the SNP, shut down Brown’s plans.
Brown compiled a 40-page transparency report for the party which concluded: ‘It is imperative that the workings and decisions of the party are transparent and accessible.’ The report suggested the creation of a new and improved finance, audit and risk committee, while calling for more information to allow the treasurer to ‘plan accordingly’ and make ‘cash flow projections’.
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