The SNP’s civil war erupts in Westminster

It seems that the acrimonious civil war embroiling the SNP isn’t merely restricted to Scotland. For amid growing questions about the party’s finance structures, a new front has opened up down in London, with Stephen Flynn, the party’s leader at Westminster, turning on his predecessor Ian Blackford.

Flynn admitted to Good Morning Scotland on Monday that his group of 45 MPs is currently struggling to appoint auditors, following the decision of the party’s long-time accountants Johnston Carmichael to cut ties. That is significant because the SNP must submit an auditor’s certificated by 31 May or risk losing its annual sum of more than £1 million of ‘Short money’ – taxpayer funding from the House of Commons reserved for opposition parties. Tick tock!

With the nationalists already allegedly strapped for cash, Flynn turned his guns on his predecessor, whom he ousted back in December. He told GMS that he was not properly informed about Johnstone Carmichael quitting their decade-long role as the SNP’s accountants until 10 February, six months after the firm withdrew its services.