SNP finances turmoil: Colin Beattie quits as party treasurer following arrest

The SNP has been left with no party treasurer, no auditors and a leader accused of being a “lame duck” after Colin Beattie quit his role as finance chief of the pro-independence party.

The MSP, who had served as SNP treasurer from 2004, bar a one-year gap in 2020, announced his decision to leave the role on Wednesday afternoon after failing to appear in Holyrood for committee business earlier in the day.

Critics attacked Humza Yousaf for failing the sack his party colleague, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar claiming the newly-elected First Minister was now a “lame duck leader” of a “dysfunctional government”.

It comes as Scottish Conservative MSPs aired concerns their pro-unionist counterparts were a step ahead and taking full advantage of the chaos within the SNP.

Colin Beattie has resigned as treasurer

Mr Beattie will also stand down from his role on the Scottish Parliament’s public audit committee, which examines how public money is spent, until the police investigation into the SNP has finished.

In a statement released through the party, Mr Beattie said: “This afternoon I informed the party leader that I will be stepping back from my role as SNP national treasurer with immediate effect.

“I have also informed the SNP chief whip at Holyrood that I will be stepping back from my role on the public audit committee until the police investigation has concluded.

“On a personal level, this decision has not been easy, but it is the right decision to avoid further distraction to the important work being led by Humza Yousaf to improve the SNP’s governance and transparency.

Colin Beattie has quit as SNP treasurer. Picture: PA

“I will continue to co-operate fully with Police Scotland’s inquiries and it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further on a live case.”

Mr Beattie was arrested on Tuesday before later being released without charge “pending further investigation”. On social media, Mr Yousaf said a new party treasurer would be appointed “as soon as possible”.

He said: “I want to offer my thanks to Colin. I know that his decision to step back from the role of SNP national treasurer will not have been an easy one, but he has done so in the best interest of the party.”

The SNP leader faced criticism that he had failed to sack his colleague from the role, with opposition politicians stating there was a distinct “lack of leadership” from the First Minister.

Mr Sarwar said the decision had “been made by the wrong person”, adding “surely Humza Yousaf should have sacked him rather than him resigning”.

He said: “I think that again shows a lack of leadership from the First Minister and the SNP leader. He’s the victim of events rather than in charge of events in his own party.

“He’s been leader for three weeks and I think he’s already very clearly a lame duck leader, a lame duck First Minister of a dysfunctional government.

“I think we are looking at a comms agency rather than a government, and the comms agency is not that good at comms any more.”

Shona Robison, the deputy first minister, said Mr Beattie’s decision was the “best outcome” and Mr Yousaf did not need to take any action due to the party treasurer’s decision to step down.

She said: “My understanding is it his decision and that is right and proper and it is now obviously a case of finding a new treasurer and finding new auditors.

"If Colin Beattie has stood down as treasurer, I think that is the best outcome and I think that is definitely the best outcome and I don’t think the First Minister needed to take any action if Colin Beattie has stood down.”

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the treasurer post would be the “least appealing” job in Scottish politics.

He said: “In a matter of months, the SNP have lost their leader, chief executive, their auditors and now their treasurer.

"Continuity candidate Humza Yousaf is being consumed by the chaos wracking his party. Scots who want a government focused on NHS waiting lists, broken down ferries and the sewage being pumped into rivers will be shaking their heads."

Craig Hoy, the Scottish Conservative chairman, said the resignation “highlights Humza Yousaf’s total lack of leadership”.

He said: “As soon as Colin Beattie was arrested, the First Minister should have immediately suspended him as SNP treasurer and a party member, as well asking him to stand aside from the two key Holyrood committees he sits on. Instead he has been allowed to depart on his own terms.

“Humza Yousaf is like a rabbit in the headlights. His failure to remove Colin Beattie from these roles – as well as not suspending Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon – makes a mockery of claims that he has taken decisive action.

“The SNP are in meltdown and consumed by chaos and it is the real priorities of Scotland that are being ignored as a result.”

Privately, however, there is a lack of confidence within the Scottish Conservatives they are taking advantage of the troubles being experienced by the SNP.

Senior Scottish Conservative sources told The Scotsman that while there was an obvious and enjoyable sense of “schadenfreude” about the crisis within the SNP, one stating “I’m glad it isn’t us for once”, there was a sense of missed opportunity.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross was in the USA in recent days on a trip to celebrate Tartan Week as part of his role on Westminster’s Scottish affairs committee. One source said there was a feeling his absence, partially due to a cancelled flight, had lessened the impact of the Tory attack.

While there is a belief among Tory MSPs the existing situation is a continuation of a “slow decline” for the SNP, some admitted it was not their party that was gaining from it.

Instead they highlighted the message from Scottish Labour, which some believed was having more of an impact on the public.

However, they added a lack of a poll bounce for Mr Sarwar and a continued apathy around Sir Keir Starmer’s profile as Labour leader and popularity in Scotland could be the Tories’ “saving grace”.

A senior Scottish Labour source said the chaos enveloping the SNP had benefitted the party, but admitted they still had “work to do”.

They said the need to promote a positive “vibe” around Mr Sarwar’s party was more important than seeing a jump in support.

Focusing on breaking the link between voters who had backed the SNP for years and Mr Yousaf’s party is seen as the crucial first step in making serious gains, similar to the erasure of the link between traditional working class Scots and Scottish Labour in 2007.

The most recent polling has the SNP remaining as the most popular party in Scotland. However, some in the party believe it is inevitable Scottish Labour will soon be ahead.

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