HUMZA Yousaf has said it “would have been helpful” to know about the SNP’s issues with auditors before becoming First Minister.
Speaking to Sky News during a visit to a school in Glasgow on Thursday, the First Minister discussed the ongoing financial challenges facing the party.
It emerged this week that auditors Johnston Carmichael had resigned around six months ago – with SNP members not being informed.
The party is on the hunt to find a replacement firm before a July deadline. It is also dealing with the arrest and subsequent release of former CEO and Nicola Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell, in a police investigation into the SNP’s financial affairs.
“I of course only knew about the auditors resigning when I became party leader,” Yousaf told journalists on Thursday morning.
NEW: Humza Yousaf tells me he was unaware the SNP owned £100k motorhome until he became party leader. The vehicle was seized by police at a home connected to Peter Murrell. ❓Was Sturgeon wrong not to reveal auditor issues? “Would of been helpful to know beforehand”.@SkyNews pic.twitter.com/IChI4Qmo79
— Connor Gillies (@ConnorGillies) April 13, 2023
“One of my first instructions to the party has been to make sure we get replacement auditors. That is going to be a challenge to meet that deadline, but I’m going to do my best and we’re going to do our best as a party to meet it.”
Yousaf was asked if it was wrong that he was left in the dark on the auditor situation prior to being elected as SNP leader last month.
“Well look, I think people have got a very reasonable question to ask the party around transparency. That’s why I’ve committed to a review of governance and transparency, with external input,” he said.
“Frankly, it would have been helpful to have known beforehand. But equally I know the party has been working to try to get replacement auditors, without success so far. My job is to make sure we can get those replacement auditors as soon as I possibly can.”
Yousaf also confirmed he would look into publishing the resignation letter from the party's former auditor.
“I’d be happy to look at that but of course, we’d have to get the permission of Johnston Carmichael," he said.
On Wednesday night, The National revealed that one member of the SNP’s governing body is threatening to quit if forensic accountants are not brought in.
Bill Ramsay, the convener of the SNP Trade Union Group (TUG) said he had been warning about a lack of transparency for some time.
“If the call to appoint forensic auditors is not moved forward, I will have to seriously consider whether I can continue on the NEC,” he warned.
