Nicola Sturgeon, former First Minister of the SNP, has been accused of creating a «false façade». Photo: Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images.
The Scottish National Party has spent thousands of pounds on lavish election victory celebrations for its inner circle, according to The Telegraph.
The Nationalists celebrated on a two-acre rooftop. the garden of the 5-star Glasshouse Hotel in Edinburgh, where around 100 guests enjoyed a complimentary bar and gourmet chef's menu.
Event at a £300-per-night hotel set in the 170-year-old Lady Glenorchy Church with stunning views on the Scottish capital took place in 2016, after the SNP won elections to the Scottish Parliament in May of that year.
Although Scottish MPs and councilors were invited to a modest celebration at Bute House 10 days after the election, most of them were not invited to the exclusive party thrown for the party's inner circle and their associates.
Some members of Nicola Sturgeon's cabinet from the previous administration were snubbed and not invited, only learning of the event after The Telegraph asked about it.
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing. , but some disgruntled SNP members have said they believe it was an inefficient use of party funds. A former member of the SNP's ruling National Executive Committee said the event exposed a rotten culture within the party.
«I think Nicola Sturgeon has put on a false facade very successfully.» They said. "The story of the big fashion party says so, and SNP apparently pays the bills.
Glasshouse in Edinburgh
"All of this was created for the public, and none of it was ever made public. If your face fits, great, but for anyone asking questions, the SNP will be a very hostile environment."
Graham Spence, who worked for Shirley-Ann Somerville, now Minister for Social Justice, said, that he was invited to the meeting by accident. He quickly left, realizing that this was intended for the former first minister's closest advisers and inner circle.
He said that most of the MSPs and MPs were not invited but only «elected». repetitions" welcomed to the event, where there was champagne, "open bar" and some senior party figures stayed overnight at the 77-room hotel.
Friday room rates start at £300 and suites go up to £700. A 2016 promotional material for the hotel boasted «permanently breathtaking views of the city centre». and "Edinburgh's most secret rooftop garden".
Mr. Spence asked why the party money is being spent on an event that he estimates will cost tens of thousands and be "much more luxurious than regular SNP events".
He said there was champagne and a chef, "not your typical buffet" and that it was clear "from the very beginning we were invited by mistake".
"Did the participants know about such generous spending of their cents?" He said. "It was certainly an interesting experience. This was against the backdrop of the 2016 victory. We were taken along, but we were definitely not the target audience of activists.
"But compared to them, real activists on the ground who volunteered would be completely self-funded parties in constituencies." ;
Police investigation
Meanwhile, the disclosures come as police continue their investigation into an alleged £600,000 fraud at SNP. Peter Murrell, former party chief executive and husband of Nicola Sturgeon, was arrested in April.
Colin Beatty, party treasurer, was arrested two weeks later and has since stopped. Both men have been released without charge pending further investigation.
The deals being considered by the police took place after a party at the Glasshouse Hotel.
Since July 2021, Police Scotland have been looking into the case. The SNP is processing over £600,000 in donations raised in 2017 for a second independence referendum.
Supporters complained when reports filed with Companies House in 2020 showed that the SNP only had 97 £000 to the bank despite never having a referendum.
SNP said the event was to «recognize the dedication and commitment of SNP staff who went above and beyond during the successful 2016 election campaign» .
The spokesman added that no ministers had been appointed at the time of the event.
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