Nicola Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell quits as SNP chief executive in face of no confidence threat
The chief executive of the Scottish National Party has resigned with immediate effect in the face of a no confidence vote.
Peter Murrell, who is married to Nicola Sturgeon, said his future had become “a distraction” from the current contest to replace his wife as SNP leader and first minister following a damaging secrecy row.
His dramatic departure following more than two decades in the post comes after the party’s head of communications quit on Friday in the wake of revelations he inadvertently provided bogus membership numbers to a journalist.
Nicola Sturgeon pictured with her husband Peter Murrell, who is SNP chief executive
Murray Foote was told to deny reports the party had lost 30,000 members branding them “inaccurate” and “drivel”.
With claims the leadership process was being undermined by a refusal to issue membership data and demands by the candidates themselves, the party was forced to confirm the significant fall in paid-up support.
Enrolment as of 15 February this year was 72,186, having dropped from 103,884 in 2021.
Ahead of Mr Murrell’s announcement, a senior member of the SNP’s governing body told Sky News: “The buck stops with Peter… he shouldn’t have thrown a junior member of staff under the bus”.
It is understood the party’s national executive committee had given Mr Murrell an ultimatum over his exit strategy – announce a plan to resign today or face a vote of no confidence.
Earlier, SNP leadership candidate Kate Forbes had also acknowledged “extraordinary turmoil” in the party.
Mr Murrell, 58, had already faced accusations of a “conflict of interest” over his involvement in the race to choose his wife’s successor, with concerns raised over the integrity of the election.
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In a statement, Mr Murrell said: “Responsibility for the SNP’s responses to media queries about our membership number lies with me as chief executive.
“While there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome. I have therefore decided to confirm my intention to step down as chief executive with immediate effect.
“I had not planned to confirm this decision until after the leadership election.
“However, as my future has become a distraction from the campaign I have concluded that I should stand down now, so the party can focus fully on issues about Scotland’s future.
“The election contest is being run by the national secretary and I have had no role in it at any point.”
He added: “I have worked for independence all my life and will continue to do so, albeit in a different capacity, until it is achieved – and I do firmly believe that independence is now closer than ever.”
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Ms Sturgeon told Sky News: “He’s obviously taken responsibility for the recent issue with membership.
“He had intended to step down when there was a new leader, but I think he’s right to make that announcement today.”
She added: “Peter’s been a key part of the electoral success we have achieved in recent years and I know there will be a recognition of that across the party.”
Ms Forbes, Ash Regan, and Humza Yousaf are currently in the running to replace Ms Sturgeon as SNP leader and first minister.
Ms Regan said: “Eight years ago was the point where it was unacceptable to have the husband of the party leader as the CEO.
“I am encouraged to see the democratic foundations of the party now asserting their rightful function.”
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Mr Yousaf, widely viewed as the favourite for the top job among the party hierarchy, said: “Peter Murrell has been an outstanding servant of the independence movement and the SNP.
“I agree with Peter that it is time for him to move on and make way for a new leader to appoint a new chief executive as passionate about the SNP and the cause of independence as he has been.
“With less than 10 days to go in this leadership contest, it is vital we all focus on the policies and vision we have for the party, movement and country.”
Meanwhile, the SNP’s political opponents highlighted that the party’s finances are still being investigated.
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy MSP said: “A fish rots from the head down – and the same applies to the SNP.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “This latest resignation of a top SNP figure goes to show that the wheels have fallen off the SNP wagon.”
UK
13-year-old girl charged with attempted murder after two teachers and pupil stabbed at Carmarthenshire school
A 13-year-old girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder after two teachers and a pupil were stabbed at a school.
The three people were treated in hospital for stab wounds but have now been released.
Pupils at Amman Valley School, also known as Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, went into lockdown just after 11.20am on Wednesday following the attack at the end of morning break in Carmarthenshire.
Amman Valley School, which is in the town of Ammanford, is a comprehensive with around 1,500 students aged between 11 and 18.
In a statement on the school’s website, headteacher James Durbridge said on Wednesday it had been a “very difficult day” for the school.
“It goes without saying that my thoughts are with the three individuals and their families, who have been affected by today’s incident,” he said.
“I wish to commend all staff and pupils for their calm and mature response during today’s lockdown.
“We are proud to have witnessed pupils embodying the school’s core values while supporting their peers and staff.”
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Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy has been arrested and remains in custody on suspicion of making threats referencing the school attack, Dyfed-Powys Police has said.
Superintendent Ross Evans said: “Following [the stabbing incident], yesterday evening our control room received a number of calls reporting concerns about messages being shared on social media which had references to the incident here at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.
“Officers swiftly carried out a warrant at the home of the person believed to be responsible for this content and a 15-year-old male has been arrested.
“He also remains in police custody while we investigate these allegations.”
Two horses which bolted and charged through central London are in a “serious condition”, a minister has said.
The Household Cavalry said the animals – which were taking part in what the Army called a “routine exercise” in the Belgravia area on Wednesday – were spooked by builders dropping rubble from a height “right next to them”.
Two horses bolted through the streets of London. Pic : PA
Defence minister James Cartlidge told Sky News on Thursday morning: “There were five horses. They have all been recovered.
“Three of them are fine, two of them are unfortunately in a relatively serious condition and obviously we will be monitoring that condition.”
He added: “They are in a serious condition, but as I understand, still alive.”
The minister also confirmed the names of the two animals, Vida and Quaker.
He stressed while the footage that emerged of the horses running through the capital was “dramatic”, it was “a very exceptional event”.
“This is extremely unlikely, this scenario,” he told LBC.
“Unfortunately we have seen what has happened, but all I can say is the crucial thing… no serious injuries to the public as far as we aware, and of course we will be keeping an eye on the situation.”
A map of where the horses travelled
Four service personnel were thrown from their horses and the animals that ran loose smashed into vehicles, including a taxi and a tour bus.
Paramedics treated four people in three separate incidents in Buckingham Palace Road, Belgrave Square, and at the junction of Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, in the space of just 10 minutes.
Some of the soldiers were taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries, which were not thought to be serious.
Pic: Alice Porter
Pic. PA
One witness got off a bus and described seeing two horses, one black and the other white, “flying past”.
“The white one was drenched in blood from the chest down and they were galloping through the traffic at speed,” she said.
“People were stopping in the street shocked. The horses were running into fast-moving traffic and seemed terrified. Some unmarked police cars were chasing after them, which didn’t seem to be helping.
“I felt shocked. It was pretty gruesome. Felt like a weird dream.”
The horses were eventually recaptured by City of London Police and taken away to be assessed by Army vets.
The animals are all receiving care from vets at Hyde Park barracks.
Commanding Officer of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Matt Woodward said in a video statement posted on X the unit exercises around 150 horses on the roads and in parks every morning, partly to help desensitise them to city noise.
He said the “shock” of building materials being dropped from a height near them caused the horses to bolt and unseat some riders
He added: “Thankfully, considering the frequency of exercise and numbers of horses involved, this type of incident is extremely rare, we continue to strive to minimise the risk of this recurring.
“As ever we are grateful for due consideration given by the members of the public to not making loud noises around our horses.”
When temperatures hit nearly 22C in parts of England earlier this month, people might have thought that spring had finally sprung.
But with May fast approaching, temperatures have suddenly dropped, forcing some back into their winter coats and others to switch the heating on once again.
So what has caused the mercury to drop to near-freezing in some parts?
According to Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler, an area of high pressure to the west of the UK is behind it.
UK weather: The latest Sky News forecast
Temperatures were as low as 3C this morning in parts of the UK
“High pressure to the west of the UK and Ireland gave hopes for a few days of settled weather, even though it was forecast to be a ‘cloudy high’,” she says.
“And that is pretty much what we have seen, although the positioning of the high brought cold northerly winds – and eastern counties can vouch for this.
“The high was also weak enough to allow frontal systems (a collision of cold and warm air) to move through it, so we didn’t see entirely dry weather either.
“And, winds were strong enough to give a significant wind chill along the North Sea coasts, which was pretty bitter.”
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That, she says, has resulted in temperatures dropping a few degrees below the April average, though, according to Ms Wheeler “not by much”.
So when will temperatures rise again?
“We’re just a few days from May now, and a change is on the way,” she adds.
“Low pressure, spreading from the south at the weekend, will bring milder conditions but also some rain and fresher winds.”
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However, the next few days could still be relatively cold, particularly overnight on Friday and potentially Saturday, when temperatures in parts of northern and eastern England could drop to near or even below freezing, according to the Met Office.
And while they say temperatures are likely to “trend upwards” from Sunday, rain and cloudier weather is set to dominate next week, particularly in the south.
According to the Met Office’s forecast for next week, there will be drier weather in northern parts of the UK and a chance of rain or even thundery showers for a time in the east.
“Temperatures [are] likely to trend upwards, with the chance of a warm to very warm spell in some southern and eastern parts, before conditions probably turn drier, cooler and more settled from the west towards the end of the period,” they say.
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