Peter Murrell Jailed for Five Years as Former SNP Chief Executive Sentenced

SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney has said he has no plans to visit Peter Murrell in prison.

Addressing reporters at Holyrood, Mr Swinney characterised the prolonged controversy as a source of “agony”.

Referring to his Christian faith, he said he considers himself a “forgiving” person, but declined to say whether he had forgiven — or would forgive — Mr Murrell, whom he has known for many years.

He said: “Nothing would have led me to believe this was a likely path events would take, or a situation we would have to confront.

“You would never have found me predicting that this was something I ought to have been worried about.”

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He added: “I was not an office bearer in the Scottish National Party between 2004 and 2024, so I had no operational authority to examine these matters.

“But is it upsetting? Is it painful? Is it agony? Yes — it is all of those things.

“What I see as part of my duty as leader of the Scottish National Party now is to ensure the SNP is run with clear, effective governance that safeguards the party’s interests — and that remains at the forefront of my mind at all times.”