GLASGOW MP Natalie McGarry must be suspended from the SNP according to Labour.
Jackie Baillie, Labour’s public services spokeswoman, has written to Nicola Sturgeon asking when SNP officials knew of the allegations concerning the MP for Glasgow East.
Women For Independence, the referendum campaign group, co-founded by Ms McGarry called in police after it failed to get answers to why there was tens of thousands of pounds unaccounted for.
Ms McGarry has, through lawyer Aamer Anwar, said she is "certain there has been no wrongdoing on her part" and said she is ready to meet police if they wish to speak to her.
Labour however say the same standards should apply to Ms McGarry as to Edinburgh SNP MP Michelle Thomson, who has been suspended from the SNP following a police investigation into property deals connected to her.
In the letter to the First Minister, Ms Baillie, said: “The allegations about missing donations to Women for Independence (WFI) are very concerning. The alleged involvement of the SNP MP Natalie McGarry only adds to the seriousness of this situation.”
She added “Given that it was right that Michelle Thomson's membership of the SNP was suspended during a police investigation, can you confirm that it is also right that the same standard will now apply to Natalie McGarry? People in Scotland would be surprised if no precautionary action is taken against Ms McGarry, given the serious nature of the allegations and the involvement of the police.”
A statement released by WFI said: “Women for Independence have, for several weeks now, been examining the finances of the organisation, after our senior support staff raised concerns in late summer.
“We have identified an apparent discrepancy between our income (via donations) and the expenditure which we currently have evidence of.
“Because of the potential seriousness of this issue, the National Committee of WFI decided that the right thing to do was to pass this matter to the police.
“The discrepancies occurred during the period from 2014 through to our formal constitution
“It is the robust and appropriate systems and procedures that were adopted following that AGM that have revealed the discrepancies concerned."
HeraldScotland has asked the SNP to comment on the letter.
The full text of Jackie Baillie's letter is below:
Dear Nicola,
The allegations about missing donations to Women for Independence (WFI) are very concerning. The alleged involvement of the SNP MP Natalie McGarry only adds to the seriousness of this situation.
When details emerged about the police investigation into property deals involving the SNP MP Michelle Thomson you said: "There is now a police investigation under way into these matters...Michelle Thomson has decided to step aside from the SNP while that investigation is undertaken. I think that is the right thing for her to have opted to do."
Given that it was right that Michelle Thomson's membership of the SNP was suspended during a police investigation, can you confirm that it is also right that the same standard will now apply to Natalie McGarry? People in Scotland would be surprised if no precautionary action is taken against Ms McGarry, given the serious nature of the allegations and the involvement of the police.
As with the Michelle Thomson case, there are concerns about who in the SNP knew what and when about the allegations involving Natalie McGarry. Reports in today's media note that the allegations about missing campaign funds relate to the period between 2014 and March 2015. It would be a very grave matter indeed if any official, elected member or candidate in the SNP knew anything about these allegations before the General Election but failed to make them public.
Can you confirm when SNP officials, representatives or candidates at any level were first made aware of the allegations surrounding Natalie McGarry? Reports today confirm that seven of the WFI committee members who reported these allegations to the police are SNP candidates. Can you confirm when any of these people first became aware of the allegations? Can you confirm what discussions have taken place between SNP officials or senior elected members and these WFI national committee members about these allegations?
I look forward to hearing from you as a matter of urgency.
Best wishes,
Jackie Baillie
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