SNP confirms it plans to launch a court action to claw back some of the £400,000 Peter Murrell embezzled. But process could take years.

Angela Constance attempts to shrug off questions about how the SNP spent £660,000 of donations as an "internal party matter". Don't think that's going to cut it, given many of the donors weren't SNP members.

It's taken the best part of a decade for the SNP to finally admit the "ring-fenced" £600,000 was spent long ago. Many of those who donated in 2017 were not party members, but committed independence supporters who thought they were helping a referendum campaign.

Pyramid schemer. In today's Record.

John Swinney was under pressure last night to explain if Peter Murrell had embezzled cash from the taxpayer as well as from SNP members.

Understatement.

NEW: Scottish Parliament rejects Labour demand for an urgent debate on whether an inquiry should investigate the Peter Murrell scandal. SNP and Greens opposed. Labour source: “The SNP have shut down debate in their own party and now don’t want to debate the issue in Holyrood”.

The Peter Murrell scandal is "embarrassing" Scotland on the world stage, a former first minister has warned.

The £124,000 motorhome purchased by Peter Murrell using SNP cash had just four miles on the clock when it was seized by police, a court has heard.

Peter Murrell back in court at 9.30am. Judge Lord Young will hear the prosecution “narrative” at the hearing - a statement that has been agreed with the defence.

Scottish Labour has demanded an urgent debate at Holyrood this week on establishing a parliamentary inquiry into the Peter Murrell scandal.

Nicola Sturgeon gave an "Oscar-winning performance" during her set-piece interview on the Peter Murrell scandal, the man whose complaint sparked the Operation Branchform investigation has said.

Today’s Record splash

How the Sunday Mail exposed SNP denials, spin and downright lies

Jackie Baillie: "The Peter Murrell scandal will not disappear through carefully managed interviews"

Pat McFadden: "The SNP has been protected by a claim to virtue, which is often denied to those elsewhere in the UK, particularly to England"

John Swinney today admitted he hasn't spoken to Douglas Chapman or Joanna Cherry - who both quit the SNP's governing body in 2021 after raising concerns about the party's books - since Peter Murrell's conviction.

Nicola Sturgeon has claimed she never "consciously" saw a campervan bought by Peter Murrell with stolen money as it was parked "round the side" of her mother-in-law's house.

Peter Murrell bought 108 toilet rolls just hours before then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned the public against panic buying during the Covid pandemic.

Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell were "tight" and made decisions "around the breakfast table instead of the boardroom", a former senior SNP adviser has said.

"Ms Sturgeon has made her position perfectly clear, there will be no further comment"

Nicola Sturgeon tells a book festival in Ireland she was “completely exonerated” and “totally cleared” after a “lengthy” and “very forensic” police investigation.

All SNP MSPs/MPs were paying a £250 monthly donation to the party during the years of Peter Murrell's embezzlement. When it was suggested the amount was raised, some refused "By this point it was understood by many in the group that Murrell was going to be found guilty" 👇

Statement from Aamer Anwar issued on behalf of Nicola Sturgeon: "It would appear some ‘armchair detectives’ think they are better placed than the gold-plated investigation of Police Scotland and now wish to try Ms Sturgeon for crimes she has not committed"

John Swinney hit out at what he described as the "politicisation" of Peter Murrell's decision to plead guilty to embezzlement.

Downing Street spokesman: "The UK Government does not support independence or another referendum. “People need and want their governments focused on the issues that really matter — economic growth, the cost of living, and public services. Our focus must be on delivery, not division"

"People who are their most vociferous supporters - asked to put their hard-earned cash into a movement that they believed in... and what did people that were charged with responsibility do? "They robbed them of that opportunity"

This independence debate at Holyrood later is going to be some laugh.

Record View: Murrell is the man awaiting sentence but the SNP is also in the dock.

Nicola Sturgeon has released a further statement through her solicitor, Aamer Anwar. "In respect of any items I was aware of Peter having purchased, I had no reason to doubt that he had used his own money"

No refunds: John Swinney tells SNP members not to expect any cash back from the IndyRef2 fundraiser which kick-started Operation Branchform.

Asked if SNP members who donated money for independence campaigning will now have it returned to them, John Swinney says: “We don’t have that money, it’s been stolen from us”

Nicola Sturgeon: "To be clear: I had no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever that he (Peter Murrell) was using SNP funds for personal purposes. "I am utterly appalled that he did so and cannot begin to understand why."

In March 2021, Nicola Sturgeon warned SNP officials to be “very careful” about suggesting there was “any problems” with the party's accounts.

Peter Murrell pleads guilty. Remanded in custody until sentencing on June 23.

Peter Murrell is due in court at 10am.

Jenny Gilruth describes public sector reform as "exciting" - perhaps not how the civil service will be viewing it this morning as job losses loom.

Shelter has criticised John Swinney's decision to "downgrade" Housing from a specific Cabinet post to a shared portfolio with Social Justice. It comes as Scotland continues to face a housing emergency, with 1000s living in temporary accommodation.

Unions representing public sector workers will be look on with horror at the appointment of a Cabinet minister with the role of "Public Service Reform". Job cuts on the way.

Jenny Gilruth named Deputy First Minister as John Swinney reshuffles SNP Cabinet

The multiple missed opportunities by the authorities to help these children, who were clearly in huge distress, is genuinely shocking.

Pressure growing to open second safe consumption room in Edinburgh as drug deaths in the capital soar

A damning assessment of John Swinney's plan to cap food prices in supermarkets. The Scottish Retail Consortium: "Everyone in the food supply chain looks at this and goes, this is at best a gimmick, and at worst it'll have a pretty damaging impact on our food supply chain"

Holyrood can't go into hiding any time disorder rears its head at Scottish football

John Swinney on disorder in the Trongate: "There was a very clear contrast at the weekend - in Edinburgh, the City Council and Hearts had agreed a plan as to what would happen should Hearts have been successful, and in Glasgow that wasn't the case with Celtic"

M8 motorway demolition in Glasgow could take inspiration from 'New York and San Fransisco'

Scottish Government statement on the aftermath of Celtic's title win yesterday: "The disgraceful scenes of violence and disorder that took place in Glasgow are completely unacceptable and we strongly condemn all abusive and antisocial behaviour"

Glasgow MP Zubir Ahmed - who resigned as a UK Government minister last week - claims there is "no mood" for a Scottish Labour leadership contest. Ahmed adds there is support within Scottish Labour for Wes Streeting to replace Keir Starmer.

It's easy to overstate the similarities between the SNP and Plaid Cymru. One has explicitly ruled out a referendum on independence in the next five years to focus on domestic priorities. The other hasn't.

Kenny Gibson, the newly elected Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, has come a long way from being a solitary SNP councillor for the Mosspark ward in Glasgow in the 1990s - an era of almost total dominance by Labour of municipal politics.