Peter Murrell 'given a licence to steal' by John Swinney, claims Russell Findlay

By TOM GORDON, SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 20:42, 28 May 2026 | Updated: 20:42, 28 May 2026 John Swinney has been accused of giving Peter Murrell ‘a licence to steal’ after he angrily rejected calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the SNP crime scandal. The First Minister seethed as Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay said he and Nicola Sturgeon had ‘enabled’ the crook. Mr Swinney insisted he was a Murrell victim and accused his critics of ‘victim blaming’. The exchanges at First Minister’s Questions came as Scots MPs suggested Westminster could hold an inquiry if Holyrood didn’t. Tory Harriet Cross and Labour’s Douglas McAllister told the Scotsman the Scottish Affairs Committee might step in to deliver ‘the answers the public deserve’. Murrell, 61, pled guilty on Monday to embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP while he was the party’s chief executive. He was married to Ms Sturgeon throughout the crime spree, which included eight years when she was First Minister. Senior party figures have claimed they were blocked from asking about the party finances five years ago by Ms Sturgeon and her allies when concerns emerged about fundraising.  Ms Sturgeon told the SNP’s ruling body to be ‘very careful about suggestions that there are problems’. While National Executive Committee chair Kirsten Oswald, now Victims Minister, was said to have ‘shut down’ questions. John Swinney seethed under questioning from his political rivals on Thursday Russell Findlay called for all information about the Murrell case to be published Mr Findlay said Scotland’s top prosecutor, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain, KC, should publish all information relating to the case. He told FMQs: ‘The Peter Murrell scandal is not just about the Scottish National Party’s toxic internal culture – it goes to the heart of Government and Scotland’s justice system. ‘John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon did not stop Peter Murrell, they enabled him. Their shield of protection gave Murrell a licence to steal. People want to know why Nicola Sturgeon wasn’t in the dock beside her husband.’ Mr Swinney highlighted ‘a deep and forensic criminal investigation’ of the highest standards ‘which resulted in the prosecution of one person and one person alone’.  He said: ‘If Mr Findlay had a shred of decency about him he would express his respect for the judicial system in Scotland.’ Mr Findlay hit back: ‘That was the usual desperate deflection from John Swinney. He is trying to shut down scrutiny, and we will not stand for it.’ He said the SNP leader should ‘follow the money which bought a camper van, Montblanc pens and a home library’ and ask the Crown Office to use the law ‘to recover luxury stolen goods from Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon’. Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell had been described as the SNP's power couple Mr Swinney accused him of being ‘desperate’ but confirmed prosecutors had applied to use the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover money, but it would be for a court to decide the issue. He also reacted furiously after Anas Sarwar urged him to apologise to the victims of the ‘dangerous culture’ in the SNP. The Scottish Labour leader said: ‘It is a culture of secrecy and cover-up, in which the public are not told the truth, dissenters are vilified and careers are destroyed.’ Mr Swinney again blamed Murrell and said he was one of his victims as ‘a contributor to the SNP’. Pressing for a public inquiry, Mr Sarwar said it would not look at criminality but ‘the culture, the process of decision-making and lessons for the future’. But the First Minister refused, telling MSPs: ‘That was an astonishing attempt at victim blaming by Anas Sarwar. He should be ashamed of himself.’ Mr Swinney was also mocked by Reform UK’s Scottish leader Lord Malcolm Offord. Referring to this week’s vote on Holyrood having the power to hold an independence referendum and No10 ruling it out, he asked what the First Minister would do now. He said: ‘Is it time to reveal his cunning plan – or has Peter Murrell stolen that as well?’ No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. 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