Peter Murrell

Peter Tierney Murrell was born in Edinburgh in 1964. He studied at Craigmount High School and at the University of Glasgow. Before entering politics, Peter Murrell was a public relations officer for the Church of Scotland for four years. In 1989 Murrell was elected Membership Convener by the SNP Peterhead branch. In the May 1992 local elections for Banff and Buchan District Council, Murrell was election agent for candidates in both the Longside / Rattray, and Buchanhaven / Catto wards. In June 1993 Murrell was re-appointed secretary of the Banff and Buchan branch of Citizens Advice. By May 1994, when he was reportedly "bombed" by a seagull in Peterhead while taking voters to polling stations, Murrell was a "research assistant to party leader Alex Salmond". In February 1995, Murrell was working as a Parliamentary Assistant to Dr Allan Macartney MEP based in Aberdeen. The Evening Express stated that he had been "previously responsible for MP Alex Salmond's Banff Buchan office". In December 1996 Murrell's reported role was "constituency researcher". During his time working for the SNP, Murrell acted as its fishing spokesperson. By February 1999 he was working as a staff member in the new office of MEP Ian Hudghton in Aberdeen along with Dr Eilidh Whiteford. He was described as "a former assistant to both SNP leader Alex Salmond and the late Allan Macartney". In March 1999 Murrell was quoted in The Press and Journal as "SNP Fisheries Spokesman" who supported controls on the number of grey seals. ==Chief Executive of SNP (2001–2023)==

Early years Murrell replaced Michael Russell as chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in 2001, under the leadership of John Swinney. He had previously worked in the Banff and Buchan constituency office of Alex Salmond, the former party leader. The party's success in the 2007 elections was credited to organisation by Murrell. Sturgeon leadership Murrell's wife Nicola Sturgeon became party leader and First Minister in 2015, bringing his role as chief executive under greater scrutiny. Nicola Sturgeon insisted that there was no conflict on interest in herself and her husband both occupying senior party roles, telling The Herald, "I've been deputy leader for years while Peter's been chief executive for 10 years. That's not been an issue that's given rise to any concern internally. In the constitution of the SNP, the oversight of the administrative side of the party lies with the business convener, not with the leader. So I'm comfortable there are no issues that arise." In 2021, Murrell faced questions from party members over the alleged disappearance of £600,000 in donations to the party. The Scotsman reported in June 2021 that Police Scotland had been asked to investigate Murrell regarding a donation to SNP from lottery winners Colin and Christine Weir, which they subsequently asked to be returned to them. Murrell also faced questions from Labour and Conservatives over a £107,620 interest-free loan made to the SNP on 20 June 2021, that was not declared to the Electoral Commission for more than a year after the July 2021 deadline. The SNP stated that it did not declare the loan as it "did not think" the matter was reportable. The loan was to assist with cashflow problems at the party. These concerns escalated into a major police investigation into fraud, codenamed Operation Branchform, in which Murrell was ultimately arrested and charged. When his wife, Nicola Sturgeon, announced her resignation as first minister on 15 February 2023, Joanna Cherry, an SNP MP, called for Murrell to step down as CEO of the party stating "The SNP Leadership & party management have been deeply bound together. I cannot see any circumstances in which Peter Murrell can continue as Chief Executive under a new leader who must be free to choose a successor." Membership numbers and resignation During the 2023 leadership election, the SNP was pressed to reveal the size of its membership. The party’s national executive committee published the figure of 72,186 as of 15 February 2023, down from 104,000 members in 2021. There had been earlier reports that the party's membership had dropped by around 30,000. Murray Foote, the SNP’s media chief, had described these reports as "inaccurate" and "drivel". In response to the confirmation of the numbers, he said he had been acting in "good faith" with earlier "inaccurate drivel" comments, but resigned his position "in good faith". This then led to the SNP's national executive committee giving Murrell an ultimatum as he was blamed for Foote having been misinformed. Murrell resigned as SNP Chief Executive "with immediate effect" on 18 March 2023 ahead of a vote of no-confidence. In a statement, Murrell said: "Responsibility for the SNP's responses to media queries about our membership number lies with me as chief executive. While there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome. I have therefore decided to confirm my intention to step down as chief executive with immediate effect." He was succeeded as acting SNP chief executive by Michael Russell. == Criminal investigation into SNP finances ==

In 2021, Police Scotland launched an investigation, codenamed Operation Branchform, into possible fundraising fraud in the Scottish National Party after £660,000 raised to campaign for a second independence referendum could not be accounted for. Between 2018 and 2022, Murrell made several loans to the party, including one of over £100,000 in 2021, that were not properly reported to the Electoral Commission. The stated reason for the £100,000 loan was to assist with the party's cash-flow after the Scottish Parliament election in May 2021, although by April 2023 the majority of the loan had not been repaid, with £60,000 still outstanding. Early in 2023, there were calls for Murrell to stand down because of the investigation into the loan he had made to the party. On 5 April 2023, Murrell was arrested by police in connection with Operation Branchform. Police Scotland said they were searching a number of addresses, and police were seen at the SNP headquarters in Edinburgh and at the home of Murrell and Sturgeon in Glasgow. He was later released without charge, pending further investigation. As part of the investigation, a Niesmann + Bischoff motorhome was seized by police from Murrell's mother's home near Dunfermline. Murrell later resigned his membership of the SNP. On 18 April 2024, Murrell was re-arrested in connection with the investigation. Later that day, Murrell was formally charged with embezzlement of funds from the SNP. Murrell appeared in court for the first time on 20 March 2025 charged with embezzlement. He did not enter a plea. He was released on bail pending his trial. In July 2025 it was reported that the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) had approved an application by Murrell's lawyers for solemn legal aid. SLAB's decision prompted speculation as to Murrell's financial situation, and whether legal aid would be terminated if the SNP repaid the £60,000 still outstanding of his 2021 loan to the party. Former SNP MP and King's Counsel Joanna Cherry criticised the decision to award Murrell legal aid, saying on Twitter, "When I think of all the working class people I've represented over the years who have not qualified for legal aid or who have barely qualified with a big contribution required from their personal funds, I find this absolutely astonishing." Cherry further questioned why details of the allegations against Murrell had not been published, fourteen weeks after his initial charge: "I can't understand the delay in indicting Peter Murrell. It's way past time the detail of the charges against him were in the public domain... I'm interested in these details as the funds in question were raised from ordinary decent people who deserve to know what is alleged to have happened to their donations." Prosecution expenses for the case were reported to have more than doubled from £206,000 in February to £460,000 in July 2025. He is due to appear at Edinburgh High Court on 25 May 2026. Murrell faces eight charges of embezzling a total of £459,000 from 2010 to 2023, including using party funds to illicitly buy a £124,550 campervan and other vehicles for his personal use, as well as separately buying luxury goods, cosmetics and jewellery. == Personal life ==

While running Alex Salmond's Banff and Buchan constituency office, Murrell helped to organise SNP youth weekends. He first met 18-year-old Nicola Sturgeon at one of these events in 1988. On 13 January 2025, Sturgeon announced in a post on Instagram that she and Murrell had separated and are to divorce. ==References==