SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has resigned with immediate effect

Peter Murrell, who is married to outgoing party leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, had been accused of undermining the current leadership contest, following a secrecy row.

On Friday, the SNP's head of communications quit after it emerged he inadvertently provided bogus membership numbers to a journalist.

Murray Foote was told to deny reports the party had lost 30,000 members branding them "inaccurate" and "drivel".

In the face of claims that the integrity of 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.

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."

It is understood the party's national executive committee had given Mr Murrell an ultimatum over his exit strategy.

He had already faced accusations of a "conflict of interest" over his involvement in the contest to choose his wife's successor.

Ash Regan, Kate Forbes and Humza Yousaf are currently in the running to replace Ms Sturgeon as SNP leader and first minister.

SNP MP Joanna Cherry, who is backing Ash Regan's leadership campaign, said "if anyone was in any doubt" that the party needed a "reset" then "the events of the last days have proved it".

"Winning elections isn't enough. It's what you do with the wins that matters," she said on Twitter.

"Integrity matters. Our party & our country can & will do better than this."

Michael Russell will oversee the operation of the SNP's headquarters on an interim basis following the resignation of Peter Murrell, the party has announced.

Mr Russell is currently the party's president and has previously been its chief executive and a Scottish Government minister.

He will take charge until a new leader is in place and a new permanent chief executive is appointed.

The party's National Executive Committee met on Saturday and passed a motion calling on leadership candidates to complete the election in a "positive and forward-looking spirit".

SNP business convener Kirsten Oswald said: "Peter has been a key part of the team that has led the SNP to election win after election win and changed the face of Scottish politics.

"He steps down with our appreciation for his many years of service and great electoral success."

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