The SNP’s election coffers have been boosted after a sizeable donation.

According to the latest report from the Electoral Commission, Robert Benzies handed £127,998.35 to John Swinney’s party.

He does not seem to have donated to the party before. The money was received on June 5.

The donation is the SNP's first for a long time.

READ MORE: SNP received no major donations in first three months of 2024

Likely, the SNP’s struggle to attract big money in recent years is, in part, down to Operation Branchform, the police investigation into the party’s finances.

Most of the income received by the party this year has come from Short Money, public cash given to all opposition parties in the Commons with two or more MPs.

The party received no reportable cash donations in the first three months of 2024, and the most recent accounts show a deficit of more than £800,000.

Ahead of the election, political parties have to submit four weekly reports setting out any donations or loans over £11,180 received between 30 May and 26 June 2024.

Last week, John Swinney said his party received donations from “lots and lots of party members” that would be under the reporting threshold.

“We have more party members than all of the other parties in Scotland combined, and people generously make contributions to the party on an ongoing basis.

"And if you have lots of people donating small sums, that adds up to quite a big amount.

“So I'm really quite happy with the way donations are coming into the party,” he told journalists.

READ MORE: Donors should be confident about giving cash to SNP under my leadership, says Swinney

In total, between May 30 and June 5, the UK’s political parties recorded donations of £2,394,823.

When the public funds paid to opposition parties are included, this jumps to £3,247,495.

The Labour Party recorded donations totalling £926,908, which, added to £652,411 in public funds took them to £1,579,319.

The Tories were far behind, recording £597,372 of which £574,918, of which came from donors.

That is only slightly more than the Liberal Democrats who received £563,307, made up of £454,999 and £108,308.

Nigel Farage’s Reform took in £140,000, though the reporting period only covers the first two days of his time in charge of the party.

They received £50,000 from a Fitriani Hay, £40,000 from a Peter Hall and another £50,000 from H.R. Smith Group ltd.

The biggest donation recorded was £500,000 to Labour from Toledo Productions Ltd, the company owned by movie producer Duncan Kenworthy.

The Tories were helped by Scottish businessman, Alasdair J D Locke. He made two donations at the end of May, one for £50,000 and another for £25,000.

The party also received £28,500 from the Scottish Unionist Association Trust, a secretive funding operation previously at the centre of a row over so-called ‘dark money’, or untraceable funds.

The organisation has given the Tories more than £1.4 million since 2001.

Louise Edwards, Director of Regulation and Digital Transformation at the Electoral Commission said: “We know that voters are interested in where parties get their money from, and these publications are an important part of delivering transparency for voters.

"While there is no limit to what parties can raise, there are spending limits in place ahead of elections to ensure a level playing field.”