E&W rules, dunno about anywhere else,
1. It’s common to go no comment then provide a prepared statement (that is what she apparently did - although I have huge concerns that this information is in the public domain at all);
"No comment" is neutral; neither guilty nor not guilty. The prepared statement gives an explanation while avoiding further, deeper questions that arise from the explanation and need thinking about "on the hoof".
2. Often the people who are “most guilty” don’t go no comment - they try to explain their way out of things.
Not if they've listened to their legal rep
3. It’s not always the best tactic, if there are going to be criminal proceedings against you adverse inferences can be made if you later try to make excuses you didn’t offer at the time.
If it gets as far as a charge then you have the evidence disclosed by the prosecution before it gets anywhere near a Court and go for either a "plea bargain" or as a last resort plead guilty to the original charge and enjoy a reduced sentence
there’s only two things she can be here
1. stupid
2. complicit
or extremely busy in a high pressure post and living separate lives
"I am extremely busy and important, and cannot at all be expected to investigate - or indeed ask some one else to investigate on my behalf; the circumstances of why we've lost our Treasurer, and no audit company will work with us in the intervening time frame from 2019 to date"
"I will not taking questions at this time"
once more. internal party finances where not her responsibility. You really think a FM in a worldwide crisus should be examining internal party finances? Thats a really weird take
Remember there are other peoples whos job it is to look at internal party finances ( treasurer, CEO , chair and auditors) and Sturgeon is not an accountant. Isn't this the very definition of "getting on with the day job" that folk are always telling the SNP leadership to do?
Did the question "where's that camper van come from?" not come up?
How about "These salt and pepper grinders are nice. They make the condiments on this table come alive. Were they expensive?"
Camper van had the excuse it was bought for campigning and signed off by the folk in the party responsible for that. did the grindres ever end up on Sturgeons table?
I still think more details will emerge of the expenses fiasco.
I remember all the Iatest fancy I phones and tech/ goods bought for the climate talks abroad for quite a large group visiting the talks ( Cop ) and they were said to be essential at the time
The pay per view football match on the I pad etc..etc etc.
did the grinders ever end up on Sturgeons table?
Who could possibly know the situation regarding the application of seasonings in the matrimonial home? As they looked pretty underwhelming I'm intrigued to know what the action was like on them. Smooth, I bet. I like a courser grind on my salt and pepper, personally. I wonder if you could specify which? Like with peanut butter?
I also wonder how good it'd feel to sign your signature with a 4 grand fountain pen? Worth a prison sentence?
So many questions....
The man was rampant during COVID!
Got a source for that ? @BoardingBob
Poor Nicola. She'll never know the action of those salt and pepper grinders any more than I will
*sigh*
once more. internal party finances where not her responsibility.
She's on the NEC (continuously for 20 years) and it's her signature on the accounts.
Did the question "where's that camper van come from?" not come up?
How about "These salt and pepper grinders are nice. They make the condiments on this table come alive. Were they expensive?"
I cannot say if I have ever noticed expensive seasoning delivery devices, nor question their value.
I have however had so many checks and balances when I spend 'company money', including from a group of the senior leaders and administrators. His mrs clearly was not interested, and I do think she had other things on her mind, but I cannot understand how more party leaders and officers were not inquisitive.
My explanation for his (rampant and repetitive) spending was bribes to all and sundry in the party to get away with it?
Anyway, one of my team bought a Edinburgh tram ticket on a family day out on a work credit card this month, it was noted on the Tuesday, and by today (Thursday) it has been repaid. Perhaps we ought to offer to run the finances of the SNP.
I have however had so many checks and balances when I spend 'company money', including from a group of the senior leaders and administrators.
If i think about the way that I (as a lowly PM of a GP practice) have to be able to demonstrate fiduciary duty because the bulk of our income (like the SNP) is public money, then I look at what Murrell got up to, and the lack of response from the senior team surrounding him, I can't help but think there should be more folks looking at jail time.
Got a source for that ? @BoardingBob
there is a nasty bit of misogyny running thru thiz thread. One obvious bit is the continual referring to her by the first name which is not done for other politicians and the holding her to a higher standard than male politicians are held.
perhaps a wee bit anti scots racism as well
ill leave you guys to it.
there is a nasty bit of misogyny running thru thiz thread. One obvious bit is the continual referring to her by the first name which is not done for other politicians and the holding her to a higher standard than male politicians are held.
perhaps a wee bit anti scots racism as well
Bollocks.
there is a nasty bit of misogyny running thru thiz thread. One obvious bit is the continual referring to her by the first name which is not done for other politicians
Erm....
I cannot understand how more party leaders and officers were not inquisitive.
They were inquisitive and were subsequently marginalised and/or stood down. Sturgeon went onto video to tell other officers that the party funds were in rude health and they should shut up.
there is a nasty bit of misogyny running thru thiz thread.
No there isn't, If anything most folks are pointing out that of all the politicians in the UK, she was the single one most of us wished had had a greater platform, the fact that her career has ended so tawdrily is genuinely disappointing.
perhaps a wee bit anti scots racism as well
a little bit like "liitle Englander" ?
perhaps a wee bit anti scots racism as well
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Thanks @BoardingBob that at the very least shows a considerable amount of arrogance/misplaced confidence on Peter Murrell s behalf .
@tja I agree some commenters seem to be holding a woman responsible for her husband's crime . This is wrong. However when a married couple take on two of the most senior positions in any organisation a potential conflict of interest arises. Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon should both have known this.
PS. Not seeing anti Scottish racism on here
"No comment" is neutral; neither guilty nor not guilty. The prepared statement gives an explanation while avoiding further, deeper questions that arise from the explanation and need thinking about "on the hoof".
I agree, it's the standard advice when being interviewed because whether you were guilty or not there's no benefit in that situation to getting drawn into an answer.
I think the anger on that point is or should be directed at whether she then lied by saying she had fully cooperated, because giving "no comment" definitely isn't that.
Remember there are other peoples whos job it is to look at internal party finances ( treasurer, CEO , chair and auditors) and Sturgeon is not an accountant. Isn't this the very definition of "getting on with the day job" that folk are always telling the SNP leadership to do?
Surely almost anyone who's ever done any work ever has had to sit in a meeting where the agenda includes a handful of things you're interested in, and a lot you aren't?
I can't fathom how in however many years the subject of the accounts was somehow not raised in her presence?
Erm....
He's a bit of a Johnson though.
there is a nasty bit of misogyny running thru thiz thread.
Utter rubbish. She was the Party Leader, if she didnt know money was going missing, then she should have done. It isnt just the stolen 400k, another 600k went missing from the Independence fund.A large bulk of that came from small donations, not large wealthy donors, so they should have made sure it was used correctly, but no, they were either crooked, or incompetent with the Party finances. That the Leader is a woman has nothing to do with it, at best she has been an incompetent Leader, and I'd class Swinney in the mix too, he was on the Board, all Members have access to the accounts, and after the Auditors have resigned, there should have been an enquiry, but they tried to keep it quiet.The whole management board of the SNP (at the time, have they changed?) stink, and all should resign.
Let's not forget while questions were being asked she was telling an SNP meeting there were no problems with the SNP finances. Not the least bit curiosity to see if there was any truth in the issues being raised?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LTzoEhU199M
Who on earth is advising her at the moment, if anyone? That whiney ‘poor me’ interview she gave yesterday to a rightfully incredulous looking Laura Kuensberg was the most ill-advised since Prince Andrew pulled up a pew and invited the cameras in
I know they say that all political careers end in failure, but seeing the total implosion of the reputation of an incredibley effective, successful and well respected politician really has been quite something.
Shes horrendously misjudged and mishandled this whole thing so badly, right from day one. A ‘no comment’ interview is definitely not what anyone regards as ‘fully cooperating with the police’, so now she looks absolutely ridiculous, has zero credability and is the butt of a thousand jokes
I cannot understand how more party leaders and officers were not inquisitive.
They were inquisitive and were subsequently marginalised and/or stood down. Sturgeon went onto video to tell other officers that the party funds were in rude health and they should shut up.
Actually I don't think thats quite what she did in that now infamous video. She said something like "think carefully" which in the context of who she was talking to was probably about not shouting to the press/membership about it. She didn't say everything is great and anyone who says otherwise will be out. Its a subtly different message, one which you really wouldn't be surprised if it was "if you are worried about the finances please go and have a chat to the CEO". NOBODY at that stage seems to have been saying, "I think we may have been a victim of fraud" or "the CEO's on the take". The criticism there is from a position of hindsight and of course no victim of crime has ever looked back afterwards and though - shit did my actions make it easier for them? Usually this place would be leaping to the victim's defence.
SCOTLAND would vote to become independent if a new referendum were held tomorrow, according to a new poll.
The survey, conducted by Norstat for The Times, predicted that Scots would vote for independence by 52% to 48% if there were a second vote on the constitution.
It also comes as SNP insiders have reported a bounce in donations during a certainly tumultuous week for the party.
One source told the Sunday Telegraph that the SNP had received money worth “several thousand” and said it showed supporters still had faith in the party despite Murrell’s “betrayal”.
A party insider said: “Since Monday, we’ve had a significant uptick in donations from ordinary SNP members. Donations totalling into several thousand.
https://www.thenational.scot/news/26155055.scots-vote-independence-second-referendum-poll-finds/
predicted that Scots would vote for independence by 52% to 48%
Not at all surprised.
Since Monday, we’ve had a significant uptick in donations
I'm very surprised.
The survey, conducted by Norstat for The Times, predicted that Scots would vote for independence by 52% to 48% if there were a second vote on the constitution.
52% to 48% - those figures sound familiar.
Probably to be met with a similar 'oh ****' feeling 10 years down the line if it were to happen.
The article doesn't mention safe guards such as needing over 50% of the voting age population or 66% of votes. I would hope that the Brexit experience would inspire some sensible rules for the referendum.
The article doesn't mention safe guards such as needing over 50% of the voting age population or 66% of votes. I would hope that the Brexit experience would inspire some sensible rules for the referendum.
Why would it? That would be weird.
The article doesn't mention safe guards such as needing over 50% of the voting age population or 66% of votes. I would hope that the Brexit experience would inspire some sensible rules for the referendum.
Whilst I am very much uneasy with the idea of a 52/48 split, or even a 45/55 one, the difficulty with some sort of supermajority it that it categorises the apathetic as a vote for the status quo. On 50% of the electorate you only need to persuade people not to vote (or perhaps cynically to add extra voters / students to register in both locations etc) to carry more weight without actually casting any illegal ballots. Whilst if 65.9% of voters vote for Indy, it would seem difficult to justify remaining in the union. Those who argue for anything other than a simple majority usually change their position if the question is flipped on its head. "Should Scotland remain part of the UK?" - and if that required 50% of the electorate rather than votes cast or 66% to win suddenly people are less enthused.
If there was a way to get the rUK to negotiate in good faith then a confirmation vote after an exit deal is negotiated would be a good idea, but that just gives them one last chance to win through intimidation about the future evils. If Scotland decides to leave its in all parties (England and Wales, Scotland, NI and the EU) to formulate approaches which enable everyone to prosper rather than score "i told you so points".
Ultimately Westminster needs to find a constitutional solution to the problem. There should be a mechanism for members of the Union to determine if they wish to remain part of that Union.
The article doesn't mention safe guards such as needing over 50% of the voting age population or 66% of votes. I would hope that the Brexit experience would inspire some sensible rules for the referendum
I thought the generally accepted way with these things is “ you lost! Get over it!”
If there was a way to get the rUK to negotiate in good faith
This is such a key thing. Last time out it was clear there was no good faith from Westminster. the level of threats and outright lies was huge. One clear example was that the EU could not give a view on iScotland remaining in the EU without westminster asking the question and westminster refused to do so. the other was about division of debts and assets. Again cvomplete refusal to do so
Many answers cannot be given without discussion with westminster. Westminster refuses to discuss then blames holyrood for not having the answers
To be fair, whilst arguing with a closed door is not necessarily going to achieve anything some of the other side's entrenched views on things which are probably negotiating points aren't that clever either. e.g. Faslane/Trident should get a "well we don't believe Scotland has any need for nuclear weapons, and in an ideal world we wouldn't have them on out territory but its not uncommon for very close allies to host each other's military bases and it is a key NATO asset so we may be able to accept its continued presence at least for a transition period IF the issues such as deficit and currency are amicably resolved".If there was a way to get the rUK to negotiate in good faith
This is such a key thing. Last time out it was clear there was no good faith from Westminster. the level of threats and outright lies was huge. One clear example was that the EU could not give a view on iScotland remaining in the EU without westminster asking the question and westminster refused to do so. the other was about division of debts and assets. Again cvomplete refusal to do so
Many answers cannot be given without discussion with westminster. Westminster refuses to discuss then blames holyrood for not having the answers
The SNP doesn't seem hugely keen on NATO. It only came around to the idea about the same time as Russia invaded Crimea and, spookily, the Young Scots came around after Russia invaded the rest of Ukraine almost a decade later.
There are 4-5000 employees at Faslane and Coulport paying tax in Scotland
The MiL is listening to the accounting of what Peter Murrell, completely by himself and with his poor wife totally unaware, spent the SNP money on. Question: how does one spend £1900 on umbrellas?!
It is certainly very bizzare what he has spent the money on. I have no explanation for it bar is it mental illness? Seems a bit like kleptomania type of acquisitions
The second crime in all of this are the auditors who signed off SNP accounts for so many years. How is that even possible?
The second crime in all of this are the auditors who signed off SNP accounts for so many years. How is that even possible?
One lot of auditors resigned in 2023. As far as I recall they couldn't anyone in Scotland to take it on and ended up with a small 20 employees achester based firm.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65212357
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/ams-accountants-snps-new-auditors-29880983
