Ian Blackford has furiously denied it was his responsibility to inform House of Commons authorities about the resignation of the SNP's financial auditors.
The party's former leader at Westminster clashed with a reporter when asked why parliamentary officials were not informed when an accountancy firm ended its business relationship with the Nationalists.
The SNP must have a new auditing team in place by the end of next month or risk losing £1.2million in Short money - public funding given to all opposition parties in Westminster.
When pressed on the issue by the Herald, Blackford responded "how dare you?" and claimed the question was "insulting".
It follows the revelation the Commons finance team was not told about Johnston Carmichael dropping the SNP as clients until February 13 this year - even though the firm had quit in September.
Stephen Flynn was informed three days earlier despite taking over from Blackford in December.
Sources close to Flynn said he told the authorities at the earliest opportunity. Flynn admitted earlier this week the party could lose £1million in public money and lose staff if it does not have auditors in place by the end of next month.
The pair have also been in conflict after Blackford said Flynn told him on April 7 that new auditors were in place. Flynn has denied this. When Blackford was asked why he had not told Commons staff or Flynn about the auditors' departure, he said it was not his responsibility. He said it was the Westminster SNP treasurer Peter Grant's job to inform the authorities and Flynn.
He told The Herald: "I think your question is awful and let's leave it at that. I am not responsible for the appointment of the auditor and I shouldn't even need to explain that to you. What did happen, and this is a matter or record, is that there was a full hand over of all the information to the new team when I was no longer leader.
"I didn't pass that information on because that wouldn't be my responsibility to do so. There is a leadership team and they have dedicated responsibility. Your question is insulting quite frankly. How dare you. How dare you."
The Herald also reported that SNP sources said Grant did not tell the Commons' authorities about the resignation of the auditors as there was no legal requirement to do so.
Blackford said in a BBC interview earlier this month that Flynn “was told in a timely manner" about the auditor's resignation.
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