Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has responded to the admission of embezzlement by former SNP Chief Executive Peter Murrell, denying any complicity in the misappropriation of party funds.

前首席大臣 Nicola Sturgeon 已對前 SNP 執行長 Peter Murrell 承認挪用公款做出回應，否認參與任何挪用黨內資金的行為。

The current controversy originates from the guilty plea of Peter Murrell, who admitted to the embezzlement of £400,310.65 between 2010 and 2022. The misappropriated capital was utilized for the acquisition of high-value assets, including luxury vehicles, a motorhome, and various designer household goods. While the criminal justice process has established individual culpability, the incident has precipitated a broader debate regarding institutional oversight. Specifically, former SNP MP Joanna Cherry and other critics have alleged that a culture of defensiveness existed under Ms. Sturgeon's leadership, asserting that internal concerns regarding financial transparency were suppressed.

目前的爭議源於 Peter Murrell 的認罪，他承認在 2010 年至 2022 年間挪用了 400,310.65 英鎊。這些被挪用的資金被用於購買高價值資產，包括豪華車、露營車及各種名牌家居用品。雖然刑事司法程序已確定個人責任，但此事件引發了關於機構監管的更廣泛討論。具體而言，前 SNP 國會議員 Joanna Cherry 及其他批評者指稱，在 Sturgeon 女士的領導下存在一種防衛文化，並主張內部對財務透明度的擔憂遭到壓制。

Ms. Sturgeon has categorically refuted these allegations, maintaining that the professional auditing of party accounts precluded the detection of the theft. She characterized the accusations of suppressing whistleblowers as inaccurate, clarifying that previous warnings regarding financial caution pertained to the allocation of referendum funds rather than embezzlement. Furthermore, she asserted that her lack of awareness regarding the expenditures was a result of systemic deception by Mr. Murrell. Despite this, she conceded that the decision to retain Mr. Murrell in his executive role following her ascension to leadership in 2014—against the advice of her predecessor, Alex Salmond—constituted a misjudgment in hindsight.

Sturgeon 女士斷然否認這些指控，堅持認為黨內帳目的專業審計導致盜用行為未能被發現。她將壓制舉報者的指控描述為不準確，並澄清先前關於財務謹慎的警告是指公投資金的分配，而非挪用公款。此外，她聲稱自己對相關支出的不知情是由於 Murrell 先生的系統性欺騙。儘管如此，她承認在 2014 年就任領導職位後，不顧前任 Alex Salmond 的建議而決定留用 Murrell 先生，事後看來是一次錯誤判斷。

Institutional responses to the scandal remain bifurcated. First Minister John Swinney has declined requests for a Holyrood-led inquiry, contending that the five-year forensic police investigation, known as Operation Branchform, has sufficiently addressed the criminality. Conversely, Shadow Scottish Secretary Andrew Bowie has advocated for Westminster intervention via the Scottish Affairs Committee. Mr. Bowie argues that the seniority of Mr. Murrell's position suggests systemic governance failures that necessitate an independent examination to prevent future recurrences across political entities.

機構對此醜聞的反應仍分為兩派。首席大臣 John Swinney 拒絕了由 Holyrood 領導調查的請求，認為名為「Operation Branchform」的五年警方法醫調查已充分處理了刑事問題。相反，影子蘇格蘭大臣 Andrew Bowie 則主張透過蘇格蘭事務委員會由威斯敏斯特介入。Bowie 先生認為 Murrell 先生的高階職位顯示出系統性的管治失效，必須進行獨立檢查，以防止未來在各政治實體中再次發生。

The situation remains characterized by a tension between the legal exoneration of Ms. Sturgeon and ongoing political demands for a systemic audit of SNP governance.

目前的狀況仍呈現出 Sturgeon 女士在法律上的洗脫，與政治上要求對 SNP 管治進行系統性審計之間的緊張對峙。