US Edition
Published • loading... • Updated
Lord Advocate denies giving First Minister ‘political advantage’ in Murrell case
Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain informed First Minister John Swinney on January 19 of Peter Murrell's indictment for embezzling nearly £460,000, sparking calls for parliamentary scrutiny.
- An unredacted minute sent on January 19 stated that the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain confirmed Murrell had been indicted and a trial date was being fixed for March 2027, asserting it did not confer political advantage.
- After publication on February 13, opposition MSPs said the early briefing conferred a 'political advantage' and demanded Bain attend Holyrood for scrutiny.
- Records list alleged misuse including a £124,550 motorhome, £81,610.19 of Amazon spending, and £57,500 towards an £81,000 Jaguar I-Pace from August 12, 2010, to January 13, 2023.
- After publication, the court moved the hearing to May 25, at the High Court in Edinburgh, agreed by an independent judge, with trial scheduled for 2027.
- Critics argue the Lord Advocate’s dual role as top prosecutor and government legal adviser creates a conflict of interest, prompting calls to split the role and increase parliamentary scrutiny of John Swinney.
Insights by Ground AI
Podcasts & Opinions
11 Articles
11 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left4Leaning Right2Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution45% Left
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources lean Left
45% Left
L 45%
C 33%
R 22%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
