The threat of imprisonment for contempt of court again looms over me if I tell you (again) too much of the truth about the arrest of Nicola Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell. But I can make a few observations.
As I stated on twitter on March 19 (I am not going to repeat all my tweets here but you can go searching down my twitter thread), Police Scotland delayed their investigation into SNP corruption for the duration of the SNP Leadership election campaign.
That campaign was triggered by Sturgeon’s sudden resignation, which was itself precipitated by her being told by Police Scotland the investigation was going to proceed. Whether she was told in terms her husband would be arrested I am not sure, but the implication was obvious.
For police to warn the suspects in an investigation in this way of how the investigation is proceeding – and to agree a pause for the leadership election – is deeply corrupt. It has at least two seriously damaging consequences.
Firstly, the high profile searches today at the Murrell family and other domestic properties in Scotland, and at SNP HQ, are a charade. They have had a month’s warning to destroy any evidence, should any alleged crime have been committed.
Secondly, by delaying Murrell’s arrest (on charges of which we must presume his innocence), Police Scotland have influenced the outcome of the SNP leadership contest.
By pausing their investigation, Police Scotland gave the Murrells time to get their self-proclaimed “continuity candidate” in place. Had the investigation and thus arrest not been delayed, “continuity” would have looked a great deal less attractive to the SNP membership.
The mainstream media is widely reporting that the investigation relates to the missing 600,000 pounds Indyref2 fund. I understand that while that was the starting point, the allegations may now go much wider.
I am afraid that’s really all I can safely say today. Please be equally circumspect in comments.
Except I am feeling well vindicated.
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However curious we are, your safety comes first for me.
Even without any indepth knowledge of SNP internal politics I could see that Nicola Sturgeon resigned because something really damaging was coming down her track.
Yes the real question is why was something so blindingly obvious to everyone completely ignored and glossed over by the MSM, who even yesterday were retailing her “poor me I had to resign because I was called a lesbian online” nonsense.
I kind of thought that was weird and wrong as a heterosexual person, I cannot se anything offensive in suggesting I am gay. The inference seems to be being gay is somehow compromising and her stance reinforces that. It isn’t and no one would care about that. Seems like a Tory establishment job to me. Would anyone else care whether she is straight or gay?
Read a report that Nicola Sturgeon was picked up at 8.10 am this morning literally minutes before the police posse arrived.
Undoubtedly the tent and tape is razamataz.
In this modern world of electronics evidence of dirty deeds is spread far and wide.
How far, how wide and held by who is the big question. Keeping things truly secret is very very difficult.
And so we go through the spin and din of another police investigation only now sparking into life into a matter reported years ago.
But that is not to say that there are dark deeds out there that could emerge to change the landscape.
Love him or loathe him but one Donald John Trump through a weaponised judicial system attack on him might actually become the winner of public support.
Folks want a rule of law. Colonial maladministration, deliberate and coordinated, once realized, does not go down well.
We’ll have to wait and see how it all plays out. And play out it will.
One option, they were waiting round the corner for her to be out of the house. …
It had to be something big and today is big. Indeed in terms of politics, it will be a generation of ‘survival’ for the SNP, far less independence.
I’m sure there were many in the shadows waiting for her to come out.
Nicola resigned 15th March. I read an article on the 13th published US 12th effectively exposing her as “Deep State”. So I knew she was going down, but not when.
This should explain why she was pursuing the S30 route, it’s a dead end and she knew it, she was working for the other side.
It is also the reason that Alex Salmond, yourself and others have been hounded.
All the Trans stuff is also Deep State. The West has the same Trans stuff being pushed in every Country.
Nothing Can Stop What’s Coming
It seems totally ludicrous to claim she resigned because of online comments, considering both Labour and Conservatives had lesbian leaders for some time during her reign.
I used to be one of the Blessed Nikkla’s biggest fans. I think the love fest with Campbell was what finally turned that round.
That and the obvious corruption re the Salmond case.
That’s interesting. It was the photo of Sturgeon snuggled up cheek to cheek with Campbell (which I think I saw on Wings) that first started the very rapid process of scales falling off my eyes.
Apologies to Craig if I saw the photo here.
There was also the very strange party determination that members would find it too confusing if they were allowed to use the voting software’s ‘change your mind’ feature after Murrell’s resignation. Quite probably a game changer in a 52/48 election.
Vote Alba. Vote independence.
Bang on Doug the SNP needs to be destroyed. The one or two half decent MSPs still in the party need to jump ship to Alba. This will be make a lot easier when Alba gets a foothold at Holyrood.
Mooshy mooshy.
Yeah, Police Scotland made sure that Murrell and his best buddies at GCHQ had fixed the leadership contest before swooping. I’m deeply unconfident that Murrell will be prosecuted; as you say Murrell’s had a fair bit of time to shred the implicating stuff. I also doubt the Sturgeon-appointed LA, Bain, who capitulated to the UKSC on the indyref route, will allow any of her PFs to prosecute. Is this raid just for sure? I really hope not.
If by some miracle the prosecution does go ahead, bear this in mind Natalie McGarry got two years in prison for £25K, so how long should Murrell get?
Oh and now that Murrell has been arrested surely the leadership contest should be rerun. He should not have been with a hundred miles of it.
The blue and white tent is there to look at the cross-cut shredded stuff.
Not much to be be seen there. That’s why it is cross-cut.
I would go easy on Polis Scotland for the time being. The plods fae Gartcosh had to leak to the Sunday papers three times alleging that the COPFS were stymieing their investigation before they were eventually given the go-ahead to interview under caution.
Vivian.
I thought this was pretty funny with Yousaf’s earlier rant in mind.
https://twitter.com/juneslater17/status/1643614338106753026
For those unaware of the joke, watch the below link first.
https://twitter.com/DaveLukewarm/status/1641134305832214528
Brave police, given the unholy, inappropriate way justice and politics are so entangled in Scotland. And the risk of the party seeking to wreak vengeance being high.
Given the lack of proper separation of powers in Scotland, and the open invitation for unscrupulous, corrupt individuals to be as corrupt as, well, as they can get away with. How sensible is a system in which the only thing standing in the way of that, is the personal integrity and moral principles of those holding high office and their appointees?
It’s the same story throughout the UK; with our systems based on old-fashioned assumptions, the idea only people of good judgement and high moral principles stand for office. Both nations need root and branch reform; true separation of powers, codified, rigorously independently – decisions made without fear or favour – enforced rules.
One of the defining features of Sturgeon’s empire was the creation of a network across the media, the law, the police and the civil service which was staffed at high level by people dependent on her patronage and obeisant to her policies. The Salmond affair was prima facie evidence of such demagoguery. It is a result of the SNP being a totally dominant party and administration which never need to answer to anybody, defend its behaviour, or justify its policies, including of course to its own members. The lack of real opposition has been disastrous for Scottish politics. We can only hope that this development will cause a wholesale realignment and restructuring of the cosy insider system which has arisen with the Sturgeons at the helm. And that would of course include the creation, whether a new SNP or other party such as Alba, of a genuine independence movement which should never again be beholden to a few ambitious, duplicitous people.
It should be blindingly obvious that we need the checks and balances which are essential to a functioning democracy, separating the executive from the law and the media. Sturgeon’s SNP has taken a wrecking ball to those elementary principles of democracy.
Reputed control freak Sturgeon presented herself as Little Miss Probity too, so this whole thing must be like pure torment.
She stated her abrupt resignation had nothing to do with these events, but how many will believe that?
The answer ultimately, is in Scots’ hands – demand proper separation of powers. The clear conflict of interest of the Lord Advocate’s position is obvious to all. Having a member of the Scottish Government acting as its principal legal advisor, and the head of the Crown Office – Scotland’s criminal prosecution service, is an obnoxious arrangement.
Even the UK’s Director of Public Prosecutions is notionally ‘independent’ of govt. Although with all that’s come out about Starmer vis-à-vis the pursuit of Assange, ignoring Savile, plus turning a blind eye to torture allegations. Quite how independent the DPP really is from the UK govt is open to question? We need to demand better. If this were some other country, we’d be mocking these sketchy arrangements.
This ☝️
The revolution will be distributed and decentralised.
The revolution will not be televised – you will have to watch it on Netflix
Well said; if there’s no democracy in a party there can’t be any in the nation.
I think some who are not up to speed on these matters and who are not able to see easily some of the distinctions you are hinting at will ask why is Craig Psmith Murray feeling vindicated by an event he’s calling a ‘charade’?
He seems to be saying that everything in Scotland now, and I DO mean everything, is rotten and crooked and that from that only rotten and crooked outcomes can follow. The ultimate cynic.
What is most troubling, to me, is the advice he proffers to “be careful” what you say or write because if the above is true then how can any jurisdiction to curb free speech or clamp down on comment be anything other than rotten and bent too?
There also seems to be a distinct and very clear implication that MSM is now rotten and crooked too. Kirsty Wark last night appeared to be totally embarrassed at asking questions at all.
So the search, particularly in the garden is a charade. That does make sense in the context. Why search a suburban garden for white collar crimes. To show the media that you are seriously investigating this. Then when it draws a blank. They can say the investigation was forensic.
That does seem plausible. Particularly with Sturgeon being tipped off before the arrest. This is really worrying. Is the corruption and cover up still going on , in front of our very eyes?
£600,000 equals 12 gold bars, buried in the garden or lost in a boating accident??
Bread and Circuses !
I don’t know enough about this matter and I don’t use twitter but even if as you say “… the high profile searches today at the Murrell family and other domestic properties in Scotland, and at SNP HQ, are a charade.” is there still not the problem of the missing £600,000 unless it can be accounted for? Surely, that still needs explanation to those who donated? I admit I am puzzled by the tent and spades – bizarre.
What are those ‘other domestic properties’ though??
“EXCEPT I AM FEELING WELL VINDICATED”. An’ weel micht yi be!
‘But facts are chiels that winna ding,
An downa be disputed’.
And the primary beneficiary of this mess is … ??
Establishment golden boy (Sir) Keir Staliner ??
The problem with destroying documents is twofold.
Firstly You may not be the only holder of said documents and/or someone else may hold files showing that the said documents must be missing.
Secondly if the police do find that the documents have been disappeared that adds to your charge sheet of attempting to defeat the course of justice etc.
I’m sure you are all too aware of such possibilities Craig.
Of course it is a sensitive issue, but even in the event this sensation goes no further than investigation and an arrest, quite a lot will have already been done in terms of influence on a process so sensitive to public opinion as electoral success.
Twitter showed signs of the police seeming to be be digging in the back garden. I am incredulous that if a person was holding some incriminating material they could not dream up a more effective way of disposal than putting it in a hole in the garden.I think the police will find nothing more incriminating than the recently late family pet hamster.
Mud sticks and sticky political mud is often more noteworthy because it contains that sticky waste product normally flushed away, than the benign earthy slurry we are all familiar with.
I am hopeful that the SNP will draw the fire and the independence impulse will not be stifled in the many people of Scotland who hold that impulse dear.
I can’t see any way that there will be no electoral repercussions. It is obvious that Slab and Stories are fancying their chances in ways not dreamt of in recent times. Should we brace ourselves for some miraculous political resurrections- Keziah ‘celebrity’ Dugdale or will Richard ‘charisma’ Leonard roar back into contention after his dismissal by the Labour neofuhrer.
I have a dream that the WM contingent will recognise the electoral peril they are now in. The weakness in legitimacy will be relentlessly exposed by the unionist phalanx in WM So they might as well go with a bang, resign en masse ,and trigger an election in Scotland and post up the depth of independence. feeling/frustration.
Of course wee Ian Murray and A.Jack are not included here,, but the point will be made, and it will give the SCOTTISH electorate a decent chance to express a view. I don’t for one moment think that the WM group have the gorm or cojones to take that course but it’s beginning to look as if the SNP is no longer credible, so best salvage what can be salvaged .
Such an election, even if not conducted simultaneously, would be a better answer to the question of a de facto referendum since it is confined to the Scottish electorate. and is focussed on Scottish independence. I am not sure of the procedure for setting dates for by-elections but surely it would be possible to set it up to have the gravitas of a `Scottish’ General election and have an actual campaign. I also suspect that such a process would flush out the SNP gravy train passengers. We would hear their screams of anguish as they are dragged to the hustings and Ballot boxes.
Emm, Is it worth mentioning DGP that no one is even charged, never mind guilty of anything?
Or is that too old fahioned a concept in Conspireacy Land?
If you can actually read and comprehend text you will find I have acknowledged that very point. but don’t let reality stand in the way of your determination to express contrarian abuse (see paragraph 1). It isn’t even embedded in the comment. I recommend literacy lessons. The WEA used to have reading classes for adults.
I don’t know what “abuse” to saw in my two sentences?
Unless you think implying that mass resignations and bye elections at the worst possible time might be an over reaction to someone being questioned about the SNP accounts?
These however do look insulting.. Could you maybe be a wee bit biased? …
“I don’t for one moment think that the WM group have the gorm or cojones..”
“I also suspect that such a process would flush out the SNP gravy train passengers. We would hear their screams of anguish as they are dragged to the hustings and Ballot boxes.”
What is the SNP “gravy train”?
So, a political party election trumps a police investigation over where £600k went.
Neat idea, just one problem, you can’t shred who had responsibility for said cash…_
It is soul destroying that the police gave them the heads up. Right from that moment the shredder would have been pressed into service at Murrell Towers for days without pause. All incriminating evidence long gone, the tent erected today just the crudest pantomime.
They have escaped the net. Once this choreographed charade has played out they will be allowed to focus on puppeting their simpleton placeman.
take heart Sarge
their “careers” are over
they are permanently disgraced
one or both might even go to prison
well worth £600 grand if you ask me
Hope so, Stewart. I just fear they still control the police and justice system, albeit now less directly.
You can shred all you want but if you want the payoff you have to go via bank accounts or Paypal etc.
Not inferring anything but it is very difficult to hide any payments these days.
The Suns ‘Bundles of Money’ sub-headlines etc. etc. is old hat.
There is always a trace in the days of the internet and smartphones. If you are willing to look of course.
It’s called ‘White Collar Crime’.
Ken, you’re right of course. Let’s hope the will is there to trace it and we are not witnesses to a charade.
That bastion of utter unionism Glenn Campbell, on the BBC in Scotland’s teatime news channel said that Sturgeon was in the house when Police Scotland came a knocking on the door.
Campbell also said that the LA Bain has recused herself from involvement in this case, and it will be entirely up to one of her PF’s to prosecute it, if wrongdoing is found to have occurred.
No doubt Police Scotland suspending the investigation for an entire month before today has allowed any wrongdoing (If it occurred) to be well and truly covered up, which begs the question is todays events just a sideshow for our benefit? I certainly hope not.
The sideshow is very possible, nothing would surprise me now
A COPFS spokesperson added: “It is standard practice that any case regarding politicians is dealt with by prosecutors without the involvement of the law officers.” {Sky News, today}
Their website describes the Solicitor General and the Lord Advocate as being the ‘law officers’; that leaves the prosecution in the hands of the Crown Agent.
Forgive my lack of knowledge here, but do I understand that Bain as Lord Advocate (and Minister of Justice) was appointed (via HM) by the SNP leader (June 2021) The Lord Advocate then appoints the Crown Agent. The Crown Agent then manages the investigation into the First Minister’s family arising from an incident in err June 2021.
One supposes that as a criminal matter, should charges be preferred, at least the matter won’t be laid before Dorothy Bains husband Lord Turnbull as he sits in the civil court.
All seems rather chummy though, doesn’t it. Not that I (norf I am quite cetain, anyone else) is even suggesting any possible collusion, but the adage is that justice must be seen to be done.
One observation, on the shredding: the absence of documentation for the spending [because it’s been shredded] just proves lots of offences.
Shredded? Going down. Documenting the fraud? Going down.
I observe with interest that the BBC, The Guardian, Sky and, I’m guessing, most other UK MSM stenographers chose to not publish Police Scotland’s “advice” to “the public” contained in their short statement released this morning, (in spite of it consisting of a public warning), reproduced in full by the United Arab Emirates publication (with a London Bureau) The National – https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2023/04/05/nicola-sturgeons-husband-arrested-in-snp-finances-investigation/ and which reads:
“The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media.”
This will refer to “the public” as in the likes of our host, but not so much to said MSM stenographers, should I assume?
Yeah, that’s certainly how it reads to me: “If you’re familiar with the Contempt Of Court Act 1981, then you’ll know why you should stay well away”.
I am not familiar with it. What in particular does it say social media commenters should be careful about?
I noticed it on the Daily Record website this morning: Nicola Sturgeon’s house cordoned off by police amid SNP finance probe
« A statement from the force said: “A 58-year-old man has today, Wednesday, 5 April 2023, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.
“The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives. Officers are also carrying out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation.
“A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
“The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media. As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.” »
Make sure you “exercise caution if discussing it on social media”. I think that means you should take the caution for a quick run round the block and if it’s still with you afterwards, don’t post anything. But if you can’t recall it, you can use that as your excuse. (Well, it worked for Nicola … ) ?
“A 58 year old man”
Is that ‘jigsaw identification’?
“exercise caution if discussing it on social media”
Out of curiosity I did a picture search for “58 year old man” and sure enough you know who was amongst the initial batch. Who would had thought that jigsaw identification would be so easy.
I’m sorry; perhaps I was being too subtle for you. I was observing that it’s rather obviously a specific warning to anyone who might have recently been jailed for supposed violations of the Act.
Not at all too subtle. But I see that the sort of contempt of court referred to concerns published information “which creates a substantial risk that the course of justice in the proceedings in question will be seriously impeded or prejudiced.” Perhaps I am naïve, it is many decades now since I lived in that country, but I find it hard to imagine what sort of information that could be in this case, assuming the terms “justice” and “prejudice” to still mean what I think they mean.
> (on charges of which we must presume his innocence)
I don’t think he’s charged; I think he’s arrested on suspicion.
Murrell has now released without charge which is normal procedure anyway. Hopefully an indictment follows in six months time.
Subscribed. Keep up the pressure on corrupt politicians!
David Leask and the other supine lickspittles of the Scottish media, all of you who sneered and smeared Craig, Wings and other bloggers: Ha ha ha. You have been outed as miserable wage slaves who have no interest in journalism, truth or justice, merely your own welfare. Despite this story being dangled in front of your noses. And of course the Salmond affair which you kept schtum about.
I await your sanctimonious lectures on this topic, as you back pedal frantically.
???.
Leask is already squirming frantically, now claiming he is not a ‘political’ journalist. So that’s alright then, we can ignore all his political ‘journalism’, especially his attempts to trash Craig and Wings. His job title is Chief Reporter I believe. He apparently doesn’t understand his own job description. Not a noteworthy attribute in someone whose trade is words.
The theatre on display this morning was off the scale but sure to impress the minions. Woooooooo
Apparently he has been released without charge .
All I can say is if I had a month like he has, I would not be hiding anything incriminating in my house. Actually, come to think of it, who would keep incriminating evidence in their house?
It’s another sitcom like the Alex Salmond show.
I think we should all move over to ALBA.
???❤️???????take care Stay Safe .
Maybe some of you here have contributed to the now missing sums and can tell us all wether it was made explicitly clear that these funds, ringfenced or not, were gained for a second Referendum.
Tonights news said that the polis has investigated for 18 month since the first questions were raised about missing funds. why did they not question the leadership election at a time when the SNP Ceo was responsible for the count of results?
What would it mean if the candidates involved question and dare ask for a re run of this election under the auspice of the Electoral Reform Society?
Am I the only one who looked at the pictures of the Murrells house and thought really, how ordinary !
At the Murrells level 600k is a piddling sum in reality – couple of hours on the lecture circuit – obviously money is not the real issue here ?
or at least 600k is not the real issue here…
And it’s not their only house, by any means.
Were the cops looking in the bin for those ‘stolen’ emails?
It wouldn’t look quite so ordinary if they took the roof off.
The high-level corruption has been apparent for a long time. Just over 2 years ago, Craig recorded a heartfelt testimony concerning the corruption and complicity in the SG, Crown Office and Police Scotland.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2021/03/a-very-tough-video-to-make/comment-page-1/#comment-982751
It’s worth a rewatch for hints of what may lie beneath.
Thanks, Dawg. I had forgotten how tawdry the details were.
Truly “we see thru a glass darkly”.
It beggars my admittedly threadbare faculties to imagine the “actual” conversations that constucted this amoral farrago. Without the “scapegoat” it would resemble the crudest form of bathos, in the eye-gouging style of “The Three Stooges”. With Salmond in the eye of the lawfare storm, I feel only a deep pathos but a deeper loathing for the mummers in this grotesque passion play. Starmer quiescent on Saville, Sturgeon operative on Salmond – there is a deep wound in our lived experience.
” And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
The corruption seems to be running the shop. Britain has ended up like the defunct Soviet Union, orthodox political language is dead, replaced by the codes and cyphers of the ruling “clan”, unknowable to lesser beings. We are not to do – we are to be done to.
All of this is known as Scottish “democracy”. History (if there is to be any) will not kind.
Between this and the response on Wings to the FoI request, I think we can deduce that the Murrells had notice of what was coming, which not only gives a hypothetical window of opportunity to destroy incriminating evidence, it also begs the question once more… why is it they have enjoyed such a relatively easy ride until now, despite the fact the concept of independence hasn’t received a single ounce of reprieve from mainstream media or establishment alike? In fact, the very mention of it sends them apoplectic with rage.
So Scotland is just some backward corner of a banana kingdom.
The YUK emperor is without cloths… again.