SNP chief executive resigns over membership row

• Peter Murrell, the SNP’s chief executive, has resigned.
• With immediate effect due to a dispute over party membership.
• Peter Murrell was not involved in the election.

In a dispute over party membership, Peter Murrell, the SNP‘s chief executive, has resigned with immediate effect.

The leadership contest had gotten distracted, according to Mr. Murrell, who is wed to Nicola Sturgeon, the departing party leader.

The party had previously denied a significant decline in membership, but now it must admit it.

If Mr. Murrell hadn’t resigned.

Kate Forbes and Ash Regan, two candidates for the leadership position, have questioned the impartiality of the voting procedure.

And on Friday, the SNP’s head of media at Holyrood, Murray Foote, resigned, saying there were “serious issues” with statements he had issued in “good faith” on behalf of party headquarters.

A National Executive Committee source told the Media Mr. Foote had been “thrown under the bus” by Peter Murrell who accepted responsibility for a misleading statement about SNP membership numbers

Since 2010, Mr. Murrell and Ms. Sturgeon have been wed. Mr. Murrell has served as the SNP’s chief executive since 2000.

In his resignation statement he said: “Responsibility for the SNP’s responses to media queries about our membership number lies with me as chief executive.

“While there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome.

“I have therefore decided to confirm my intention to step down as chief executive with immediate effect.”

Although he acknowledged that he had turned into “a distraction from the campaign,” he said that he had not intended to resign until after the leadership race.

“I have concluded that I should stand down now, so the party can focus fully on issues about Scotland’s future,” he said.

Mr. Murrell went on to say that he was not involved in how the election was conducted.

“I have worked for independence all my life and will continue to do so, albeit in a different capacity, until it is achieved – and I do firmly believe that independence is now closer than ever,” he said.

SNP leadership candidate Kate Forbes said: “I think that the party owes Peter Murrell a great debt of gratitude because he oversaw the party’s expansion in membership and he’s been the reason we won so many elections with his leadership at the top.

“I’ve said repeatedly from the beginning of this contest that I think there’s an appetite for fresh faces and that will hopefully pave the way for new people in headquarters to be able to run the SNP in a way that maintains the trust of SNP members and supports the SNP in government.”

Despite her request for an impartial auditor to observe the leadership vote, Ms. Forbes continued, she had “no worries” about Peter Murrell.

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