Peter Murrell embezzlement trial

[Sunnnyday]

Peter Murrell is in court in Edinburgh today. This is for the preliminary hearing which was postponed from before the election. It will be interesting to see how the criminal proceedings proceed.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/peter-murrell-arrives-at-court-ahead-of-hearing-on-embezzlement-charges/ar-AA23Ybuy?ocid=msedgntp&pc

ianal but can the case against nicola be reopened or something?

House might be sold to repay debt:
https://www.thetimes.com/article/df3f4129-d753-4b3e-8337-7a8481f29621?shareToken=b31c6505ca9cf77511a488564eddfb42&ver=article

Absolutely it can.

But, but, but, I thought Nicola could never be wrong:
https://www.thetimes.com/article/58b4e3ef-cea9-46da-98c9-4a5ede2d1fd8?shareToken=ca991e7fe07c42b26b549d67a3f61cc0&ver=article

It's so ridiculous. That arrangement was so clearly really poor governance. I remember when I first learnt that her husband was the CEO being absolutely astounded that that was allowed. She says with the benefit of hindsight it was a poor judgement but it was clear as day back then. No one else needed hindsight to help them see that. And she says it would have felt unfair for him to lose his job but surely that is something you would have discussed. She was deputy leader, the obvious successor, so as a couple you would have the conversation about what to do about it whereas she presents it almost as something that just happened, that then she would have had to turn round to him after and tell him to give up his job. Any normal couple would have discussed her running for it, the implications if she got it and agreed what to do. The fact it sounds like they weren't even a true couple makes it even more bizarre, they could have split before it even became an issue. All of it suggests at best someone who is significantly lacking in the ability to make well-reasoned decisions, which is somewhat problematic in a politician, and at worst someone who is 100% at it. It's genuinely incredible that she thinks her constant chatter is improving her situation but maybe she doesn't care as long as she keeps herself relevant.

Making coffee in her kitchen on itv in 2015

share.google/ptiyVYsxuBhukuwYO

I listened to the Ponsonby & Massey Podcast today - they provided a good summary of what's happened and how badly this is being managed by both Sturgeon and Swinney.

This is what I find so incredible - why are they both acting as if they’ve only just been confronted with this mess and are trying to think of crappy excuses off the tops of their heads? They’ve had years since the shit really started hitting the fan, to get on top of things, get some quality legal and PR advice, come up with a plan that at least looks coherent. If there’s a big cover up, at least do some planning to make it convincing and like you’re on the same page! If there’s no big cover up and everyone but Murrell is squeaky clean, why are they all gabbling and making dodgy-sounding denials aided by lawyers and representatives who are making it sound even worse?

It’s like a Scottish The Thick Of It but 100 x more ridiculous.

The most bizarre thing about this whole episode is that prior to Murrell pleading guilty, no-one in SNP had even acknowledged the fact that their organisation was the victim of embezzlement.

In any other place in First World democracy, the media would have uncovered this years ago. Their failure is indicative of their sycophancy towards SNP in general and Sturgeon in particular.

It’s just a cult. Their behaviour is utterly bizarre.

I'm sure Nicola will be thrilled to be compared to Imelda Marcos
https://www.thetimes.com/article/b4281f09-11b2-4f55-b158-2ccdf2312d25?shareToken=7a75081ad3872cc0a8076063dd7daa48&ver=article

This interview with Joanna Cherry is well worth a watch, especially on the refusal by murrell to let the NEC see the books. Exactly what most of us thought about the SNP

https://share.google/u6Fs31a868FP8kmmW

Thanks for sharing this article. I wasn't aware of this nugget: 'Awkwardly, when she appeared on Desert Island Discs in 2015, she asked to be marooned with a fancy coffee machine.' 🤐

Sturgeon is on Laura K tomorrow…tears and lies

I hope Laura is her usual brutal self.

Same - NS will do her usual poor me act, no doubt peppered with 'I made a mistake', 'on reflection', and something about 'the people of Scotland'.

I just read she has moved to London (albeit renting so could be temporary).

One of the comments on the article asks if that means she will now pay less tax? They’re not wrong…

Magnus Linklater's take on it in the Times:
https://www.thetimes.com/article/cbc39e32-98ec-489e-8089-f328b4e63dfb?shareToken=ec9280df541109ee57e5ec27c5c11093&ver=article

Radio 3 just played a snippet of the Kuenssberg interview during the news bulleting and it doesn't sound she is taking any responsibility. She is complaining about women being held responsible for the men in their lives' wrongdoing. It's almost like she can't remember that he wasn't only her husband. She was also his boss in his job and she signed off on those accounts.

Also in the Times:
https://www.thetimes.com/article/1f781589-0ab5-455b-aff8-efb6dc231686?shareToken=90feba9460c4d1c3636693e281f3b1a6&ver=article

She is complaining about women being held responsible for the men in their lives' wrongdoing

Oh the absolute irony. Yes Nicola, women are being held responsible for the wrongdoings of the men in their lives - esp those men who, under your Govt, insist they're women. Sad times indeed.

Oh this is going to run and run isn’t it? 😂😂😂https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/peter-murrell-bought-108-toilet-37226439

Whatever she knew or not about embezzlement, it seems clear that she knew that members of their NEC had resigned because Murrell wouldn’t let them see the books

I’m not sure how much I think NS knew and how much this is all down to poor processes, no accountability and top down leadership but I strongly dislike this whole ‘I’m just another female victim of misogyny/the men in my life’ shtick, from a woman with a massive amount of power. She presided for years over this rotten culture. She should be trying to show us how this is going to change - would anyone want these people in charge of even more?

think what harm they could’ve done with even more scope for embezzling and poor systems…

it is a poor look to make out she was a powerless victim the whole time…

and despite all of this she may never go to prison and we've got the snp in leadership for fuck knows how long

Exactly. This was repeated many times over the years, and despite numerous people saying tge same thing, she doubled down. She knew it was going on - maybe not the specifics, but she knew there were financial irregularities, and rather than allowing a full review to clear the matter up she fought tooth and nail to hide them. Was she worried about exposing her husband's behaviour or her own weak leadership? Or was the behaviour of helping yourself to what was in the till so engrained in the culture of the SNP at the top that it was seen as a right?