SNP Faces New Police Complaint Over £667,000 Independence Fund

The Scottish National Party is facing a new police complaint that it misled members about the use of £667,000 collected for an independence referendum campaign. A Police Scotland spokesperson said officers from the economic crime unit will contact the complainant to assess the information.

Background of the fund The first fundraising effort, called ScotRef, collected nearly £500,000 before it closed in June 2017. A second site, yes.scot, launched after the 2019 general election and brought the total to almost £667,000. The SNP's 2019 accounts showed a bank balance of £97,000 and net assets of £272,000, prompting questions about where the money had gone.

Party statements A former SNP treasurer said the funds were not held in a separate account but were earmarked for a future referendum campaign. Current party officials stated the money forms part of resources used for independence objectives, including recent election campaigning.

Previous investigation An earlier police probe into the fund's use later focused on the former chief executive, who admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from party accounts for personal purchases. The new complaint follows recent comments by party leaders that the funds supported ongoing independence work rather than a dedicated referendum campaign.