The SNP’s Westminster group say they’ve snuck in under the wire with their audited accounts ahead of their deadline today, meaning they are now likely to receive the £1.2 million in Short Money to pay staff. Talk about cutting it close. The deadline was midnight tonight…
The group’s last auditors quit back in September following a “review of [their] client portfolio“, although the news wasn’t made public until last month, around the time the party’s treasurer was arrested and police started sniffing around Nicola Sturgeon’s garden. Humza Yousaf and Stephen Flynn say they didn’t know about the financial crisis for months either.
Now the Westminster group’s treasurer Peter Grant MP has confirmed the annual return “has received a clean audit certificate and has been submitted, on time, to the parliamentary authorities”. Despite the “challenging” deadline, AMS Group Accountants have signed off the SNP’s books. A miracle considering they couldn’t file their own confirmation statement on time…
Disgraced Ex-SNP Margaret Ferrier has lost the appeal against her 30-day Commons Suspension. In a report today, published by Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel, Ferrier’s sanction was upheld, and her appeal dismissed “at the first stage”. The Panel’s Chair, Sir Stephen Irwin, also criticised the MP for failing to provide a timeline of events to both the Standards Commissioner and the Panel on appeal. Stephen Irwin wrote:
“The sub-panel dismissed Ms Ferrier’s appeal at the first stage of appeal… none of the grounds had substance and the sanction imposed was neither unreasonable nor disproportionate… The Committee’s recommended sanction is upheld.”
If the Commons approves the sanction, Ferrier will face a recall petition which, if successful, would result in a by-election. Yet another headache for the SNP…
Co-conspirators can read the Independent Expert Panel’s report in full below:
While Westminster remains focused on the local election results, Police Scotland’s SNP finance probe is trundling along. The Daily Record has today revealed some bizarre details from the investigation which saw SNP HQ and Sturgeon’s home being searched. Amongst the top targets sought on a warrant by Scottish police were a wheelbarrow and a women’s razor. The police’s total wish list was over 100 pages long…
The household items are just some of the purchases being scrutinised as part of the investigation into how £600,000 of independence campaign donations were spent. Pots, pans, jewellery, a fridge-freezer and a luxury pen were also seized. Cops have also been on the lookout for SNP burner phones…
Just when the SNP looked to be taking steps in the right direction with the appointment of new auditors, a poll was released which only reinforces the depth of the party’s crisis. Yesterday evening, Redfield & Wilton shared data which showed the SNP falling behind Labour in Holyrood regional list support – Labour is on 27% (+3) to 25% (-5) for the SNP. The SNP lost the lead for the first time since 2014…
Although the Scot Nats were still ahead in Westminster voting intention and the Holyrood constituency vote, their leads over Labour, of 3% in Westminster and 4% in Holyrood, were down 2% and 6% respectively. Humza Yousaf also fared badly; his net approval is now sat on -17%. Similarly, the margin against Scottish independence has fallen by 4%. “No” now leads by 10%…
Although the SNP will be relieved to have finally contracted some new auditors this morning, they’re not out of the woods just yet. AMS Group Accountants will still need to sign off on the SNP’s books by the end of their month and based on the bean counters’ own record with this it’s by no means a sure thing. AMS’s confirmation statement was due on April 11th. It was filed today…
The eventual resolution to the SNP’s arduous struggle to appoint an accountant may have been given a helping hand by the fact AMS has long been involved with politics. They currently handle the books for Baroness Warsi’s charity and have previously donated to politicians. Another company belonging to AMS director, Ebrahim Sedat, donated £2,500 to Chuka Umunna, whilst AMS themselves gave £5,000 to Nick Clegg. They seem to like political clients…
Despite this, AMS are by no means experts in political finance – the company specialises in medical accountancy. If AMS can’t make something out of Murrell’s mess, at least the SNP are prepared for all eventualities. AMS already has a subsidary set up to deal with insolvencies.
The SNP have confirmed they have finally signed a contract with a new auditing firm, meaning the party’s Westminster group is now likely to receive its £1.15 million in Short Money later this month. Provided the new auditors actually sign off on the accounts…
In a statement published this morning, Humza Yousaf confirmed AMS Accountants had agreed to review the books going forward:
“I am pleased to confirm that we have secured the services of auditors to take forward our accounts. We take our statutory obligations extremely seriously, so it is welcome news that AMS Accountants Group will complete the accounts for both the party and the SNP Westminster group. There is hard work ahead, but it is really encouraging to have them on board as we work towards challenging deadlines…”
Deadlines made even more “challenging” by the fact that the party hasn’t had an auditor for over six months. Not to mention the small matter of their treasurer being arrested…
UPDATE: AMS Accountants are hardly a model example of effective financial management. Their last confirmation statement was due on the 11th April. They only just filed it in the last hour…
