SNP have spent the missing £600,000 funds.

[Ianrankinfan]

According to an article in the Scotsman. .. could not get the link to work ...The new treasurer Colin Beattie has admitted that the money raised to pay for a 2 nd Indyref campaign has been spent by the party. The party has about £96;000 in the bank. .
After all the denials that the money was still there .. this is shocking.
Nicola Sturgeon had rejected the allegations that the funds were missing only 2 weeks ago. Colin Beattie said there may be a need for further fund raising... well who would donate now.

[Title edited at OPs request]

I read that in the Times too.
Would love to say I’m surprised.
I am surprised (and disappointed) however at the subdued reception of the news in the press.
SNP could get away with murder.

This is not new:

wingsoverscotland.com/the-great-indyref-swindle/#more-128906

I am wondering too why it has not been more widely reported, for example on the BBC news ..

Title should read £600,000 !

Ah. I wondered why £600 was a big enough issue to remark on. £600,000 is another matter!

I see they've been forced to admit that they have fact spent the funds on things other than it's stated purpose (probably because the police are investigating now) meaning they were lying when they claimed it would be 'ringfenced'. How is this not embezzlement? And why on earth is this not a huge scandal?! It's as though the media is so utterly terrified of the SNP that they can get way with anything.

@Ianrankinfan

I am wondering too why it has not been more widely reported, for example on the BBC news ..

Isn’t it still a legal, ongoing situation- wasn’t there some Police involvement and hence it probably couldn’t be reported in MSM? Or is that another SNP scandal I’m getting confused with?

Some might say, the Andy Burnham rift amongst other stories has created a convenient noise over here, so folk are not looking over there anymore.

The police are still investigating, yes.

I think Swinney said there wasn't an investigation but police were vague and said something about looking to see if there was anything to look at.

It was sold to supporters as ringfenced funds for indyref2 and looks like it was used to repay loans which were for campaign/election funds.

I get the impression from what little I've seen, that they are trying to both say that when money is donated and a specific target for that donation is requested, they do their best to honour that but it's not an exact science, and also saying that any spending by them is obviously always in support of Indyref2 overall as they need to be elected to do so.

All smoke and mirrors once again and if I'd donated for the indyref fund specifically then I think I'd be pretty angry. They also seem to be saying they will spend £600k on indyref but obviously they need to raise it again first (or borrow it again).

Couldn't be trusted to run a menage honestly.

@ElephantOfRisk

I think Swinney said there wasn't an investigation but police were vague and said something about looking to see if there was anything to look at.

It was sold to supporters as ringfenced funds for indyref2 and looks like it was used to repay loans which were for campaign/election funds.

I get the impression from what little I've seen, that they are trying to both say that when money is donated and a specific target for that donation is requested, they do their best to honour that but it's not an exact science, and also saying that any spending by them is obviously always in support of Indyref2 overall as they need to be elected to do so.

All smoke and mirrors once again and if I'd donated for the indyref fund specifically then I think I'd be pretty angry. They also seem to be saying they will spend £600k on indyref but obviously they need to raise it again first (or borrow it again).

Couldn't be trusted to run a menage honestly.

Well said. What the hell us going on that the media aren’t all over this now. Nippy and her crew need to resign as they have lost the thin veneer of credibility that they had left.

Deny.
Deny.
Deny.
Deny.
Deny.

Admit.

Credibility shot.

@SheldonesqueTheBstard

Deny. Deny. Deny. Deny. Deny.

Admit.

Credibility shot.

this! Plus maybe a wee "but the tories/WM are worse" every so often

This is really problematic if it now affects a future referendum.

They could certainly shove a wee but in gibbons

Only now you’d be forgiven for thinking it is but deflection and is but hot air.

Windyref2 if you will.

The SNP have not ring fenced the money for an Indy ref campaign. They have lied and used it for other purposes.... scam.

SNP supporters need to waken up .

@Patapouf

This is really problematic if it now affects a future referendum.

Well they wouldn't win at the moment so it probably suits them.

As a non indy supporter, I'd quite like them to be told they can hold one in the next 3 months or fuck off, as they wouldn't win and they've got no campaign money anyway as they've spent it.

They'll just have to suck it up. At least when i was a child and spent my bus fare on sweeties i was well aware that i'd have to walk home and that I couldn't just stand at the bus stop until someone gave me more money.

@ElephantOfRisk

I think Swinney said there wasn't an investigation but police were vague and said something about looking to see if there was anything to look at.

It was sold to supporters as ringfenced funds for indyref2 and looks like it was used to repay loans which were for campaign/election funds.

I get the impression from what little I've seen, that they are trying to both say that when money is donated and a specific target for that donation is requested, they do their best to honour that but it's not an exact science, and also saying that any spending by them is obviously always in support of Indyref2 overall as they need to be elected to do so.

All smoke and mirrors once again and if I'd donated for the indyref fund specifically then I think I'd be pretty angry. They also seem to be saying they will spend £600k on indyref but obviously they need to raise it again first (or borrow it again).

Couldn't be trusted to run a menage honestly.

That last comment made me laugh but is not funny at all to think they feel that they can use that money, given to them in good faith, for something other than its intended use. Thieving bastards

Surely someone could sue them?

Why isn't this a bigger news story? It's pretty shocking, and considering how much press Boris got about the money to decorate his flat, this should be front page!

I can't see anything on BBC and it's not even in the Times Scotland section anymore. It feels like it has been swiftly pulled from view.

Surely someone could sue them?

I think someone threatened them and they refunded their money - they obviously can't do that for everyone but if even 20% of people requested it they'd be fucked.

yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2021/06/03/so-you-want-your-cash-back/
I came across this .

The problem is that they have available cash of about £90k but potential reclaims of £600k, at some point either the money will run out or it will be apparent that people are prepared to suck it all up and not bother asking or like Oliver, they will be forced to ask for more....will folks be daft enough to throw good money after bad? If they do , that tells you all you need to know about the folk we share this particular part of this spinning globe with.

Thanks for the link, @Ianrankinfan.
An interesting read. I was weirdly amused that the figure in question is not £600k but actually just above £666k.

@ICouldHaveCheckedFirst

Thanks for the link, *@Ianrankinfan*. An interesting read. I was weirdly amused that the figure in question is not £600k but actually just above £666k.

I read one article ages ago in some MSM where the amount kept reducing as you got further down - it ended up at about £500k, can't believe anything nowadays.

As a former SNP supporter I've become more uneasy with the party recently. First the Salmond scandal, then the treatment of GC women and now this.

I wish there was a credible pro-indy opposition party to vote for.