SNP bosses 'thought they were invincible'... and 'secrecy surrounded the finances' says former MP

By TOM GORDON, SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 20:41, 1 June 2026 | Updated: 20:41, 1 June 2026 Power in the SNP was ‘centralised to an astonishing degree’ under Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell, a former MP has confirmed. Nationalist Tommy Sheppard said those at the top ‘thought they were invincible’ while ‘even cabinet ministers and deputy leaders felt they were on the outside’. The party’s ruling body was ‘not fit for purpose’, he said, adding: ‘Criticism was not encouraged; questioning was disloyalty. All of this mitigated against accountability.’ The Scottish Conservatives said it was ‘devastating testimony’ from a senior SNP figure. Mr Sheppard’s claims add to the pressure on John Swinney to back an inquiry into the SNP’s culture and its response to the Murrell scandal. The ex-SNP chief executive stole more than £400,000 from party funds while married to Ms Sturgeon, a period that included eight years when she was First Minister. Tommy Sheppard’s claims add to the pressure on John Swinney to back an inquiry Ms Sturgeon had denied knowing anything of his wrongdoing at the time, despite a stream of luxury goods passing through their modest, suburban home. Murrell was placed on remand and jailed last week after pleading guilty to embezzlement. Mr Swinney has so far rejected an inquiry, claiming there is nothing more to learn given the lengthy police investigation behind Murrell’s plea. But critics say there remain questions about SNP governance, including claims internal questions about finances were shut down by the leadership.  Writing in the National, Mr Sheppard, 67, an Edinburgh MP from 2015 to 2024, said the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) was ‘not fit for purpose’ under Ms Sturgeon. He wrote: ‘Some of this dirt will stick. It will be hard to wash off. Secrecy surrounded the finances. I remember being perplexed at NEC meetings as treasurer’s reports were handed out on the spot.  'Hard copies were numbered and collected back in afterwards. Limited information, circulated without notice, questions not encouraged.’ He went on: ‘Meanwhile, power within the party was centralised to an astonishing degree. There were very few people round the kitchen table, and they kept themselves to themselves. ‘Policy was made at the centre and handed down. Perhaps it also created a climate where some in power thought they were invincible and allowed a line to be crossed.’ Scottish Tory deputy leader Rachael Hamilton MSP said: ‘Tommy Sheppard has torn apart the baseless claims from Nicola Sturgeon who says she didn’t tell those who were raising concerns over the party’s finances to effectively shut up. ‘There must be a parliamentary inquiry into this epic SNP scandal to uncover the whole truth surrounding Murrell’s crimes and the protection from a cabal within the SNP which gave him the licence to steal.’ The Tories have called for a Westminster inquiry if Holyrood fails to hold one. Most of the MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee have backed the idea. An SNP spokesman said: ‘The governance and financial structures and processes of the SNP have been reviewed, updated, and strengthened over the course of the last few years.’ The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. 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. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.