What does it take to be excluded from the SNP’s candidate list? Quite a lot, it seems, as being arrested in connection with a police probe into your party’s funds and finances doesn’t appear to be a barrier anyway. Colin Beattie, the SNP’s ex-treasurer who was arrested as part of the Operation Branchform investigation, has revealed his intentions to stand again for the SNP ahead of 2026’s Holyrood elections. How very interesting…
John Swinney has refused to comment on whether Beattie would be a liability to his party, with the First Minister telling reporters on Wednesday: ‘I’m not going to talk about any issues that have any proximity to a police investigation.’ SNP members are a little less tight-lipped about their thoughts, however, with one telling the Times they were ‘baffled’ at Beattie’s intention to stand again, adding that: ‘We had to tell him to stay away from the doors – not that he was doing that much anyway – but the voters, as well as some party members, just wanted to ask him, “What happened to the money?”‘
Mr S would remind readers that the beleaguered beancounter was probed by police in 2023 over a ‘missing’ sum of £600,000 fundraised for a second independence referendum.
Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in