Who is Peter Murrell? Former SNP chief executive arrested in party funding investigation

For more than two decades, Nicola Sturgeon's husband was central to the SNP in his own right as its chief executive

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell married Nicola Sturgeon in 2010. Getty Images

Peter Murrell, the husband of Scotland's former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, was arrested on Wednesday as part of a police investigation into the Scottish National Party's finances.

Mr Murrell may be the lesser known half of the couple, but for more than two decades, he was central to the SNP in his own right as the party's chief executive.

However, in March he unexpectedly resigned — weeks after Ms Sturgeon's shock announcement that she would also be stepping down.

Mr Murrell previously worked in the Banff and Buchan constituency office of Alex Salmond and was credited with the party's 2007 election success, which resulted in the first Salmond government.

Mr Murrell met Ms Sturgeon in 1988 when she attended an SNP youth camp organised by him. They married in 2010.

He has for several months been facing questions from his party over £600,000 ($747,996) of missing money, which had been raised by SNP activists for a second referendum on Scottish independence.

The party said the money would be ring-fenced — but it was allegedly spent instead.

Political opponents urged the SNP “to do the right thing” and hand money back to the activists after the Supreme Court said a second referendum must be approved by Westminster.

Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell arrested — in pictures

According to reports in the Scottish media, police had also been asked to investigate Mr Murrell about a donation from lottery winners Colin and Christine Weir. They later asked for it to be returned.

Rumours have also been swirling about a £107,620 loan to the SNP which Mr Murrell made to the party in 2021, which was not declared until more than a year after the deadline. The loan was said to be to help with “cash flow problems”.

Mr Murrell resigned after questions were raised about the size of the SNP’s membership during the recent leadership election.

The number of members, revealed as 72,186 as of February 15, 2023, was down from 104,000 in 2021.

Murray Foote, the SNP’s communications chief, had previously described reports of the drop as “inaccurate” and “drivel” — but later said he had been “acting in good faith” once it had been confirmed.

Mr Murrell was blamed for having misinformed Mr Foote and resigned as SNP's chief executive ahead of a vote of no-confidence.

In a statement, Mr Murrell 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.”

Ms Sturgeon resigned in February after more than eight years in the role, saying she knew in “her head and in her heart” it was time to go.

At a hastily arranged press conference at her official residence of Bute House in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon said the job had taken its toll on her as a human being.

“Since my very first moments in the job I have believed a part of serving well would be to know almost instinctively when the time is right to make way for someone else,” she said.

“In my head and in my heart I know that time is now. That it's right for me, for my party and my country.”