Nicola Sturgeon Arrested, Peter Murrell Charged

[strichener]

On 05/04/2023 at 22:35, itzdrk said:

Since everyone is just dancing around it this is what it says.  No comment from me either way just the info. 

Your dancing to the wrong tune, that wasn't the website used to raise the funds.

[54_and_counting]

3 hours ago, renton said:

This is only part of it. The fact is that devolution is not independence. The UK government sets the agenda and budget, controls the apportionment of available funds, controls the structure of the various UK wide agencies that ScotGov can only tinker around the edges on.

No surprise then that the debate often becomes a zero sum case around who governs best, because in the majority of cases ScotGov is compelled to follow what UK Gov are doing but with some variation allowed. Those differences swallow up the entire debate. 

Devolution is like being a sound engineer recording a band. Yeah, you can change it so the bass is a big higher in the mix, but you can't fundamentally alter the tune being played by the band. 

Thing is though, that even when the SNP failings are in broad daylight, there to be seen, with big flashing neon signs, their more "passionate" supporters turn a blind eye and find a way to try throw the blame onto down south 

Like healthcare for example

[MEADOWXI]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65212357

Auditors for last decade have quit working for SNP.

 

The firm that audits the SNP's finances has resigned, the BBC has learned.

Accountants Johnston Carmichael, which has worked with the party for more than a decade, said the decision was taken after a review of its client portfolio.

By law, the party has until 7 July to present their accounts to the Electoral Commission or face possible sanctions.

Police investigating the SNP's finances this week searched the home of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell - Nicola Sturgeon's husband.

He was arrested on Wednesday and later released without charge.

A spokesperson for the SNP said the party was in the process of finding a replacement firm.

[Leith Green]

13 minutes ago, MEADOWXI said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65212357

Auditors for last decade have quit working for SNP.

 

The firm that audits the SNP's finances has resigned, the BBC has learned.

Accountants Johnston Carmichael, which has worked with the party for more than a decade, said the decision was taken after a review of its client portfolio.

By law, the party has until 7 July to present their accounts to the Electoral Commission or face possible sanctions.

Police investigating the SNP's finances this week searched the home of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell - Nicola Sturgeon's husband.

He was arrested on Wednesday and later released without charge.

A spokesperson for the SNP said the party was in the process of finding a replacement firm.

Presumably JC audited the SNP accounts up until the last financial year? And for all the years that the £600k is being questioned?

And if they signed them off (which they clearly did) then removing themselves for this year doesnt absolve them of any responsibility to ensure they are accurate.

BBC has this as the "top story" on their Scotland section and have not posted the (rather obvious) commentary that I have above.

BBC are really showing their colours this week.

[Trogdor]

14 minutes ago, Leith Green said:

Presumably JC audited the SNP accounts up until the last financial year? And for all the years that the £600k is being questioned?

And if they signed them off (which they clearly did) then removing themselves for this year doesnt absolve them of any responsibility to ensure they are accurate.

BBC has this as the "top story" on their Scotland section and have not posted the (rather obvious) commentary that I have above.

BBC are really showing their colours this week.

Your are right but it also speaks volumes as to the relationship between the auditors (JC) and their client (SNP).

They haven't cited length of association as means of parting ways, that's normally the amicable way - IE we've been your auditor for too long. Instead they went for the review of their portfolio which is clear that they have ended the agreement.

I expect JC, as any external auditors would, are distancing themselves from the SNP when the police are investigating the finances of that body. It does shine a light on the external auditors too. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) will be watching the police investigation very closely and have probably been all over JC.

This is exactly what it seems - a bit of face saving PR for JC. If Murrell is charged there will be a big finger pointing at JC.

Restricted funds are always part of an external audit. Particularly around when they should be recognised as Income and utlimately expended. If these funds were to be ringfenced, JC should have been asking the very questions that have been asked subsequently. They could end up getting fined by the FRC.

Edited April 7, 2023 by Trogdor

[orfc]

19 minutes ago, Leith Green said:

Presumably JC audited the SNP accounts up until the last financial year? And for all the years that the £600k is being questioned?

And if they signed them off (which they clearly did) then removing themselves for this year doesnt absolve them of any responsibility to ensure they are accurate.

BBC has this as the "top story" on their Scotland section and have not posted the (rather obvious) commentary that I have above.

BBC are really showing their colours this week.

It's the second main story on the sky news website, and on the nationals web page (whose first story is basically quotes from the daily mail - I thought they were not-to-be-mentioned by all good nationalists?)

 

 

[ICTChris]

They could find a dozen bodies in Peter Murrell's garden and people on here would be like "shocking bias from the SMSM in this coverage SMH"

[Jacksgranda]

37 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

They could find a dozen bodies in Peter Murrell's garden and people on here would be like "shocking bias from the SMSM in this coverage SMH"

Just because they're found in his garden doesn't mean he put them there...

Jeeezo.

[O_Kahn]

47 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

They could find a dozen bodies in Peter Murrell's garden and people on here would be like "shocking bias from the SMSM in this coverage SMH"

'why aren't they looking for bodies in Michelle Mone's garden? '

 

(TBF it would probably take an age to comb through her estate)

[CarrbridgeSaintee]

7 minutes ago, O_Kahn said:

'why aren't they looking for bodies in Michelle Mone's garden? '

 

(TBF it would probably take an age to comb through her estate)

You'd need one of these bad boys.

[ICTChris]

I would imagine Mone is more likely to eat her victims.

[Scary Bear]

1 hour ago, ICTChris said:

They could find a dozen bodies in Peter Murrell's garden and people on here would be like "shocking bias from the SMSM in this coverage SMH"

Name names please. The victims families need closure.

I haven’t seen that Father Jack character in ages. He was a c**t though, so no one would miss him.

[Cheese]

Who becomes the defacto leader of the Murrell Crime Cartel when the bald fraud and wee Nic are jailed ?

[ICTChris]

1 minute ago, Marlo Stanfield said:

Who becomes the defacto leader of the Murrell Crime Cartel when the bald fraud and wee Nic are jailed ?

MIke Russell looking at himself in the mirror atm like

 

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

2 hours ago, Leith Green said:

Presumably JC audited the SNP accounts up until the last financial year? And for all the years that the £600k is being questioned?

And if they signed them off (which they clearly did) then removing themselves for this year doesnt absolve them of any responsibility to ensure they are accurate.

BBC has this as the "top story" on their Scotland section and have not posted the (rather obvious) commentary that I have above.

BBC are really showing their colours this week.

Surely it is a case of resigning before they were sacked.

Yousaf came out and said there was not the transparency he would like to see around SNP finances then surley the auditor who signed off the accounts previously is not going to be asked to do the same thing again.

[O_Kahn]

1 hour ago, ICTChris said:

I would imagine Mone is more likely to eat her victims.

I wouldn't have thought Hannibal Lecter would be very happy with you comparing him to Michelle Mone.

[strichener]

42 minutes ago, Jim McLean's Ghost said:

Surely it is a case of resigning before they were sacked.

Yousaf came out and said there was not the transparency he would like to see around SNP finances then surley the auditor who signed off the accounts previously is not going to be asked to do the same thing again.

Yes that'll be it.  

<Inset> nothingtoseehere.gif

[Michael W]

Auditors usually resign because the client isn't trustworthy or there is a substantial problem in getting the infomation they need. It'll be either:

1) the client's financial controls are absolutely hopeless; 

2) the client is obstructing their audit; 

3) they have little to no trust in what the client is telling them and are not satisfied they can prepare the accounts properly; 

4) some combination of the above. 

Basically, the client is going to cause them problems and they don't want to end up under investigation. Auditors don't voluntarily give up a recurring fee for no reason. 

Edited April 7, 2023 by Michael W

[DeeTillEhDeh]

4 hours ago, strichener said:

Your dancing to the wrong tune, that wasn't the website used to raise the funds.

I did wonder- I asked if anyone could  clarify what the donor form was like but nothing so far.

[welshbairn]

45 minutes ago, Michael W said:

Auditors usually resign because the client isn't trustworthy or there is a substantial problem in getting the infomation they need. It'll be either:

1) the client's financial controls are absolutely hopeless; 

2) the client is obstructing their audit; 

3) they have little to no trust in what the client is telling them and are not satisfied they can prepare the accounts properly; 

4) some combination of the above. 

Basically, the client is going to cause them problems and they don't want to end up under investigation. Auditors don't voluntarily give up a recurring fee for no reason. 

It's a bit odd them only ducking out now seeing as the police investigation started in 2021 and the alleged trouble with the indyref 2 donations was from 2019.