13 March 2017 Nicola Sturgeon announces Indyref2 plan in wake of Brexit vote. Her husband, SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, launches Ref.scot fundraiser with £1m target
July 2017
Crowdfunder is shut down after poor general election results for SNP. Party says the £482,000 raised will only be spent on an independence campaign
27 October 2020
SNP accounts for 2019 show less than £482,000 in cash and reserves. Wings Over Scotland website runs headline “You’ve been robbed”. Treasurer Colin Beattie issues statement to “quash rumours” and says donations are “woven through” the figures
20 March 2021
Three members of SNP’s finance and audit committee quit over lack of transparency
26 March 2021
Alex Salmond launches Alba party. Indyref2 fund row becomes part of SNP/Alba tussle
27 March 2021
Sean Clerkin gives statement to Police Scotland about Indyref2 appeal fund
6 May 2021
Holyrood election
29 May 2021
MP Douglas Chapman quits as new SNP treasurer citing lack of financial transparency
31 May 2021
MP Joanna Cherry KC quits SNP’s ruling body over lack of transparency
3 June 2021
Colin Beattie returns as treasurer after four days when Nicola Sturgeon held the post. Sturgeon says she is "not concerned" about SNP finances
19 June 2021
SNP’s ruling body discusses Indyref2 fund amid growing membership anger. Beattie says £51,570 of £666,953 raised has been spent, and “an amount equivalent” to the remainder will be spent on independence campaigning when required. He says he and Murrell have “responsibility for managing cashflow and ensuring that all liabilities are met”.
20 June 2021
Murrell loans SNP £107,620 to “assist with cashflow”
13 July 2021
Police Scotland launch fraud probe into SNP fundraising codenamed Operation Branchform. SNP deny wrongdoing and say they will cooperate
11 August 2022
SNP declare Murrell loan more than a year late to the Electoral Commission, their first late declaration since entering power in 2007
17 August 2022
SNP accounts cloak source of loan, saying the £60,000 still outstanding at end of 2021 came from unnamed “executive management”. Party says a third of Indyref2 fund (£250,000 out of £749,000) has been spent despite lack of referendum.
13 December 2022
Wings Over Scotland website publishes details of Murrell loan. SNP say it was “personal contribution… to assist with cashflow after the Holyrood election”.
15 December 2022
Police Scotland asked to investigate loan as part of Operation Branchform. Officer later says he has “made note of this for review”.
6 February 2023
Sturgeon says she “can’t recall exactly” when she first knew her husband gave the party she leads a six-figure loan to help bail out its finances
10 February 2023
SNP refuse to say if loan and Indyref2 fund are connected
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