Former Scottish National Party chief executive Peter Murrell has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from party funds during his time leading the SNP. Murrell, who served as chief executive from 2001 until 2023 and was formerly married to ex-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, admitted the offences at the High Court in Edinburgh following a lengthy investigation into party finances. The case centred on donations originally given to support Scotland’s independence campaign. Judge James Young described the offences as a “gross breach of trust”, and Murrell was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing later this month. Current First Minister John Swinney said he felt “betrayed”, stating that the stolen funds represented the hopes and aspirations of thousands of supporters. Nicola Sturgeon, who was previously questioned during the investigation but later cleared, said she was “utterly appalled” by the revelations and deeply hurt by the deception. The scandal has dealt a significant blow to the SNP’s reputation and reignited wider debate around leadership accountability, transparency, and public trust in political institutions across Scotland.