The SNP’s chief executive is facing more questions about the evidence he gave to a Holyrood inquiry last week.
Members of the committee probing how complaints about Alex Salmond were handled say Peter Murrell’s evidence is ‘unravelling’.
When he was grilled by MSPs, Mr Murrell, the husband of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, defended the SNP’s disciplinary processes, insisting they were ‘fairly robust’.
Members of the committee probing how complaints about Alex Salmond were handled say SNP chief Peter Murrell’s evidence is ‘unravelling’ as he makes ‘one blunder after another’
But the Herald on Sunday yesterday revealed a report by the SNP’s national secretary had said they were ‘overdue for reform’.
Tory MSP Murdo Fraser, a member of the committee, said: ‘Every other sentence, he [Mr Murrell] contradicted himself, contradicted the First Minister, got something wrong or blatantly said something untrue. It was one blunder after another.
‘This latest unravelling of his story shows that he has gone to great lengths to cover up the SNP’s failings.
‘It has now emerged he defended conduct rules that he surely must know are not fit for purpose if he pays the slightest bit of attention to senior SNP staff.’
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: ‘Having told the committee that the SNP disciplinary process was robust, he neglected to mention that his own party consider that it is in urgent need of reform.’
In an internal report last month, then-party national secretary Angus MacLeod said that, given the SNP’s membership surge in 2014 and the rise of social media usage, ‘a re-evaluation of our disciplinary process’ is needed.
Mr Murrell first claimed he had not known about a meeting held between Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond at their marital home on April 2, 2018 before admitting he was aware the day before
He stated that a review of other areas of disciplinary policy was ‘long overdue’.
Last Tuesday, Mr Murrell said the SNP’s rules for dealing with conduct issues dated back to 2004, adding: ‘I say they are fairly robust to this day, and have stood the test of time.’
MSPs already want the SNP chief executive to appear in front of them again to clear up alleged ‘contradictions’ he made while under oath.
Mr Murrell first claimed that he had not known in advance about a meeting held between Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond at their marital home on April 2, 2018 – before admitting he was aware the day before that it would take place.
He also told the committee he had not been in his house at the time but later admitted he had arrived home while it was taking place.
Mr Murrell was quizzed over his involvement in a WhatsApp group set up by senior SNP officials. He denied knowledge of this and insisted he did not have the app.
But it later emerged that his number was linked to a WhatsApp account. He clarified this, saying he has the app but does not use it.
Alex Salmond (pictured) was cleared of 13 charges of sexual assault in March 2020. The former SNP leader was then awarded more than £500,000 by the courts to cover his legal fees
The SNP said Mr Murrell had told the committee the party’s disciplinary processes ‘will be looked at’.
A spokesman added: ‘Angus was referring to complaints not breaching the code of conduct for members.
‘So that may be disputes in local branches, but all member conduct complaints must go to the national secretary and only that post-holder presents the complaint to the disciplinary committee.’
It comes as Mr Murrell’s comments about the meeting between Alex Salmond and his wife Nicola Sturgeon directly contradicted her written statement and has thrown her credibility into doubt.
Ms Sturgeon claimed she believed the meeting would be a party issue, meaning it did not need to be recorded in line with the ministerial code.
Ms Sturgeon has been under the microscope since last week in light of her husband’s bombshell evidence and was pushed on the matter by Ruth Davidson on Thursday.
Scottish Conservatives’ Holyrood leader Ms Davidson accused the First Minister of believing the public’s ‘heads button up at the back’.
Ms Sturgeon responded that she did not share the contents of the meeting in their home with her husband, adding she is ‘not the office gossip’.
Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg also claimed it was ‘improbable’ that Ms Sturgeon did not share with her husband the contents of the meeting.
Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, Mr Rees-Mogg expressed doubt over Mr Murrell’s evidence.
Appearing before the Scottish Parliament’s Committee Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints, Mr Murrell said: ‘Every single day, Scottish Government business is not relayed to me.
‘Nicola is very confidential about the process – she has been a minister for a very long time and we just do not talk about Government business.’
Ms Sturgeon and Alex Salmond will not appear at a Holyrood inquiry until next year following delays sparked by the Scottish Government’s refusal to hand over key evidence.
The committee examining the Government’s botched probe into complaints against Mr Salmond has been forced to suspend public meetings until after Christmas.
MSPs had planned to complete inquiries this month but have repeatedly been thwarted due to a secrecy row with SNP ministers.
It is understood the committee will recommence public evidence- gathering in January.