Peter Murrell resigns as SNP chief executive amid membership number controversy

Peter Murrell, the husband of departing occasion chief and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, has resigned because the SNP's chief government. AFP

Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, has resigned because the Scottish Nationwide Occasion's (SNP) chief government, efficient instantly, amid studies that members of the occasion's Nationwide Govt Committee threatened a vote of no-confidence.

Mr Murrell, who has been the occasion’s chief government since 1999, issued a press release saying, “accountability for the SNP’s responses to media queries about our membership quantity lies with me as chief government.

“Whereas there was no intent to mislead, I settle for that this has been the result. I've, due to this fact, determined to substantiate my intention to step down as chief government with fast impact”.

Mr Murrell's resignation comes after the departure of the SNP's media chief, Murray Foote, who left on Friday in a dispute over the occasion’s membership numbers.

It emerged this week that the occasion had misplaced 30,000 members in simply over a yr, and after chatting with the occasion's headquarters, Mr Foote mentioned that he had issued responses to the media that raised “critical points” and later determined there was a “critical obstacle” to his function.

Earlier this month, the occasion revealed that its membership as of February 15 this yr was 72,186, down from 103,884 in 2021, confirming a narrative within the Sunday Mail in February.

Peter Murrell's resignation comes after the departure of the SNP's media chief, Murray Foote, who left on Friday amid a row over the occasion’s membership numbers.

On Saturday, a senior member of the NEC was quoted by the Herald newspaper saying, “We've the numbers. There’s not a hope in hell that Peter can survive a no-confidence movement”.

This week, two of the candidates to switch Ms Sturgeon as occasion chief and Scottish First Minister — Kate Forbes and Ash Regan — raised considerations in regards to the integrity of the election.

Nonetheless, Well being Secretary Humza Yousaf, extensively considered because the favorite for the management among the many occasion hierarchy, dismissed these as “baseless smears”.

Mr Yousaf praised Mr Murrell as “an impressive servant of the independence motion”.

“I agree with Peter that it's time for him to maneuver on and make approach for a brand new chief to nominate a brand new chief government as passionate in regards to the SNP and the reason for independence as he has been,” he mentioned.

In the meantime, the SNP's political opponents have highlighted that the occasion's funds are nonetheless being investigated.

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy MSP mentioned: “Peter Murrell’s resignation is lengthy overdue — however there stay critical questions for him to reply, not least over the lacking £600,000 from occasion accounts”.

Mr Murrell resigned lower than 10 days earlier than a shortened SNP management contest concludes