Seized camper van was to be used as SNP 'election battle bus', say party insiders

The motorhome was confiscated by police from the driveway of the mother of former party chief executive Peter Murrell

Nicola Sturgeon and husband Peter Murrell cast their votes in the 2019 general election. PA

An SNP luxury camper van seized by police as part of an investigation into the Scottish National Party’s funding and finances was intended to be an election “battle bus”, according to reports.

Sources inside the party said the motorhome was bought during the pandemic to use during the 2021 Holyrood elections as a mobile campaign room.

But it was reportedly never used because Covid restrictions were lifted in April of that year.

Neighbours said it had never left the driveway before officers confiscated it.

A party source told the newspaper: “The camper van was about trying to have an ability to campaign while complying with the rules. It would have acted as a mobile campaign room.

“It would mean not having a need for hotels and minimise mixing.”

The source added: “It was not a great idea.”

The Niesmann+Bischoff motorhome, which was worth about £110,000 new, was taken from the driveway of a house in Fife around the same time as police searched the home of Nicola Sturgeon and husband Peter Murrell, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The vehicle was seized from outside the home of Mr Murrell's mother, Margaret Murrell.

Former party chief executive Mr Murrell was detained for more than 11 hours on Wednesday in connection with the police investigation into SNP funding before being released without charge pending further investigation.

The arrest has plunged the party, which is campaigning to break up the UK with an independent Scotland, into further turmoil after Mr Murrell’s wife, Nicola Sturgeon, stepped down as party leader and first minister in February.

Mr Murrell resigned as chief executive of the party weeks later following questions about the size of the SNP’s membership during the recent leadership election.

The police investigation into the party's finances, called Operation Branchform, was launched in May 2021 after officers received several formal complaints about how donations were used.

The party had pledged to ring-fence more than £660,000 ($818,790) raised for a second referendum on Scottish independence — but the money was allegedly spent instead, leaving only £97,000 in the bank in late 2019, with total assets of about £272,000.

The SNP has said: “It would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation.

“The SNP has been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so.”