Operation Branchform cops investigating Peter Murrell’s ?95k …
The purchase of a luxury £95,000 Jaguar is being investigated by police as part of the fraud probe into SNP finances. Peter Murrell[1] is alleged to have purchased the electric I-Pace SUV from a dealership in Edinburgh.
A top-of-the-range motor fitting the description of the Jaguar – which was registered in October 2019 – was photographed in the driveway of the Glasgow home the former SNP[2] chief executive shares with his wife, Nicola Sturgeon[3], in March 2021.
The revelation in the Sunday Mail heaps pressure on Mr Murrell, 59, and the former first minister, who have both been arrested and questioned as suspects by Operation Branchform[4] detectives. The car has since been sold – understood to be via popular car buying firm, We Buy Any Car.
It’s the second vehicle to be looked at as part of the fraud probe since a camper van was seized earlier this year. A source told newspaper: “Police have interviewed at least one worker at the dealership about the sale. This is an extremely high end vehicle, one of the most expensive electric SUVs on the market.
“The basic price start at around £80,000 and optional extras can get you up to £95,000 if you are going for all out luxury. It goes without saying that it is completely outwith the price range of most people, especially in a cost of living crisis.”
The Jaguar is fully electric and goes from 0-62mph in just 4.8 seconds with a top speed of 125mph. A separate source has told the Sunday Mail[6] that late in 2021, Mr Murrell was spotted attempting to arrange to sell an I-Pace at a We Buy Any Car office close to his home in Glasgow.
Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell’s home in Glasgow was searched by police in April (top right) while officers also removed material from the SNP HQ in Edinburgh (bottom left) (Image: PA/Daily Record)
The registered keeper of the vehicle pictured on his driveway changed in February 2022 and the registration plate was replaced a month later before being switched back earlier this year.
The source said: “I was driving into the We Buy Any Car offices and I was surprised to see Peter Murrell driving out in a very high spec electric Jaguar. I asked the boy working at the desk and he said Murrell had been looking to sell the car.”
Operation Branchform was launched in July 2021 following seven complaints that more than £600,000 of “ring-fenced” donations to pay for a second independence referendum campaign were missing from the SNP’s accounts.
In August 2021, leaked video footage reveals that a clearly furious Ms Sturgeon[7] told a meeting of the party’s NEC not to talk about the finances.
She said: “Just be very careful about suggestions that there are problems with the party’s finances because we depend on donors to donate. There are no reasons for people to be concerned about the party’s finances and all of us need to be careful about not suggesting that there is.”
But police are now investigating more than 1000 alleged instances of fraud as part of their huge probe. A £110,000 luxury camper van was seized from Mr Murrell’s mother’s driveway in April.
Nicola Sturgeon shut down concerns about SNP finances.
On the same day, Mr Murrell was arrested and questioned as police began a two-day search of the couple’s home. Officers also raided the SNP’s HQ in Edinburgh and removed boxes of documents.
Former party treasurer Colin Beattie was later arrested before the arrest of Ms Sturgeon herself in June. All three individuals were released without charge and Ms Sturgeon has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie[8] said: “This latest revelation demands answers from the SNP. The allegations are incredibly serious and, quite frankly, the whole situation stinks. Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon have driven trust in Scotland’s politics into a ditch.
“Only by booting out this whole rotten SNP government can we get decency and integrity back into our politics.”
‘Top lawyer Stuart Munro has been engaged’
Money left to the SNP in wills is also being investigated as well as the purchase of everything from pots and pans to luxury pens, jewellery and other household items including a fridge freezer. An Amazon account used to buy everyday purchases forms part of the inquiry.
Police were also seeking burner phones and SIM cards at various stages in the investigation, while First Minister Humza Yousaf[9] has admitted he has seen a list of items on a warrant.
Earlier this year outgoing Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone revealed the probe had grown beyond the initial allegation of fraud[10]. He hinted it had expanded to look at “potential embezzlement” and the “misuse of funds” since being launched two years.
The SNP has said it is not paying legal fees for Mr Murrell. But the party is understood to have engaged lawyer Stuart Munro, whose expertise includes “white collar crime” and who represented the former administrator of Rangers FC in a major fraud prosecution.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.”
An SNP spokesman said: “We cannot comment on a live police inquiry.”
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References
- ^ Peter Murrell (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ SNP (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Nicola Sturgeon (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Operation Branchform (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Nicola Sturgeon says marriage to Peter Murrell is solid as she opens up about first kiss with ‘Sparky’ (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ told the Sunday Mail (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
- ^ clearly furious Ms Sturgeon (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Jackie Baillie (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ First Minister Humza Yousaf (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ revealed the probe had grown beyond the initial allegation of fraud (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)
- ^ Facebook (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Twitter (twitter.com)
- ^ here (www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk)