# Scottish Government withholds legal advice on Murrell inquiry decision

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/snp-refuses-to-reveal-the-advice-it-was-given-before-refusing-murrell-inquiry/
- Published: 2026-10-23T17:19:35+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T17:32:25+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16233931/SNP-refuses-reveal-advice-given-refusing-Murrell-inquiry.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Ministers sought legal advice before rejecting an inquiry.
- The Scottish Government withheld documents under four FOI exemptions.
- Murrell pleaded guilty to taking more than £400,000 from SNP funds.

## Summary

The Scottish Government has confirmed that ministers sought legal advice before First Minister John Swinney rejected calls for a public inquiry into Peter Murrell’s theft of SNP funds. It is withholding the related documents, prompting opposition criticism and renewed demands for an inquiry into how the money went missing and who knew about it.

The Government cited four Freedom of Information exemptions: legal professional privilege, personal data, confidential policy discussions and the effective conduct of public affairs. Some documents concern preparation for Swinney’s parliamentary response on 26 May, when he argued that a five-year police investigation had already examined the case. Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive and Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 and was jailed.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.