Sturgeon resigns

[glasgowcyclist]

What do we reckon about the £100k motor home? Genuinely a SNP 'battle bus' or bought for holidays round Loch Lomond?

Surprised the journos haven't checked the reg with the DVLA to see how many miles it's done per year. It's blurred out on photos I've seen but they probably know the reg. If they'd been off picnicking in it regularly you would think the neighbours would have dobbed them in. Or someone would have seen them eating sandwiches by a pile of sand in a lay by at least.

Comments attributed to neighbours suggest that it was delivered in January 2021 and has never left the driveway since, so it would seem not to have been used for anything like that.

The mileage won’t be available to DVLA, given that it is too new to require an MOT certificate yet (assuming it was new when delivered).

 

[AuroraSaab]

I reckon we should focus on the camper-van, and not on Baroness Mone's yacht.

Allegations of £100k of (presumably) SNP money spent on a van that ended up on MIL's drive seem relevant enough to the topic of the thread. Suggesting we can't talk about that because other things elsewhere are worse seems an odd position on a discussion forum.

Comments attributed to neighbours suggest that it was delivered in January 2021 and has never left the driveway since, so it would seem not to have been used for anything like that.

The mileage won’t be available to DVLA, given that it is too new to require an MOT certificate yet (assuming it was new when delivered).

Quite right about the DVLA. I'd forgotten about no mot for 3 years. 'Battle bus' sounds plausible then.

 

[multitool]

Allegations of £100k of (presumably) SNP money spent on a van that ended up on MIL's drive seem relevant enough to the topic of the thread. Suggesting we can't talk about that because other things elsewhere are worse seems an odd position on a discussion forum

He isn't suggesting we can't talk about it. He's pointing out the difference in mainstream media coverage given to the Sturgeon case, and a £100k van, compared to £200 million of public money for useless PPE given to Mone's MedPro company, of which at least £70m was taken offshore, and a yacht, private jet and racehorse purchased after the deal.

 

[Unkraut]

yacht, private jet and racehorse

That covers land air and sea!!

 

[Xipe Totec]

Pretty sure if the Murrells have been tazzing around the Highlands in it, there will be some ANPR camera records of its movements here and there.

Although obviously it being impounded at the same time Nicola's been witnessed taking driving lessons will have scuppered her nefarious plan to escape justice by absconding in it!

 

[icowden]

He isn't suggesting we can't talk about it. He's pointing out the difference in mainstream media coverage given to the Sturgeon case, and a £100k van, compared to £200 million of public money for useless PPE given to Mone's MedPro company, of which at least £70m was taken offshore, and a yacht, private jet and racehorse purchased after the deal.

There was a fair amount of coverage of Mone in February. It's old news now, so we have the camper van in the news.
It does rather show the difference in ambition between Tory grandees and SNP ones though.

 

[qigong chimp]

I must've missed the coverage of plod descending performatively on Mone Towers.

 

[qigong chimp]

He isn't suggesting we can't talk about it. He's pointing out the difference in mainstream media coverage given to the Sturgeon case, and a £100k van, compared to £200 million of public money for useless PPE given to Mone's MedPro company, of which at least £70m was taken offshore, and a yacht, private jet and racehorse purchased after the deal.

What say I consult you on future posts so you can add the necessary footnotes before going to print?

 

[icowden]

I must've missed the coverage of plod descending performatively on Mone Towers.

How could it? Mone has not been accused of doing anything illegal (just immoral).
The SNP have a legal investigation going on looking at possible misappropriation of funds.

 

[monkers]

How could it? Mone has not been accused of doing anything illegal (just immoral).
The SNP have a legal investigation going on looking at possible misappropriation of funds.

Mone has been investigated by police on suspicion of illegal financial dealings.

Murrell is currently being investigated by police on suspicion of illegal financial dealings.

In the Mone case the NCA are being tightlipped whereas the government seem to be claiming transparency while hiding details, saying that there was no impropriety, and that anyway the impropriety was carried out by officials acting for ministers and not by ministers themselves.

In the Murrell case the investigations are ongoing, so the police are tightlipped until their investigations progress, while Murrell and Sturgeon have been told by police to say nothing.

Who or what people choose to believe in the absence of sufficient facts I guess is a matter for them. The truth is out there, but it might be the case that we never get to see the full facts revealed.

 

[spen666]

Mone has been investigated by police on suspicion of illegal financial dealings.

Murrell is currently being investigated by police on suspicion of illegal financial dealings.

....

If what you say is correct - then the fact Mone WAS investigated and no charges followed, whereas Murrell IS being investigated make the 2 situations very different.

PS I am not sure you are correct the Mone WAS investigated. I think that case IS being investigated still

 

[multitool]

What say I consult you on future posts so you can add the necessary footnotes before going to print?

Isn't this half the fun of your enigmatic posts?

 

[Ian H]

...performatively...

Did you steal that from a different thread?

 

[monkers]

If what you say is correct - then the fact Mone WAS investigated and no charges followed, whereas Murrell IS being investigated make the 2 situations very different.

PS I am not sure you are correct the Mone WAS investigated. I think that case IS being investigated still

There's a semantic argument if you like. I didn't say 'WAS' investigated, I chose to say 'has been' investigated which, to my mind at least, is less final.

The Mone's home on the Isle of Man was raided by NCA. What you make of the following near silence from the NCA and government leaves this as a matter for conjecture since we don't know the facts. One might be tempted to think that the NCA have been warned off by the Home Office as a court case might require Ministers to give evidence in court - potentially embarrassing - one slip of the tongue ...

Would the UK government warn off Scottish Police from prosecuting Murrell or Sturgeon? I'd say not a chance!

 

[icowden]

The Mone's home on the Isle of Man was raided by NCA. What you make of the following near silence from the NCA and government leaves this as a matter for conjecture since we don't know the facts. One might be tempted to think that the NCA have been warned off by the Home Office as a court case might require Ministers to give evidence in court - potentially embarrassing - one slip of the tongue ...

It was always framed as a "potential fraud investigation". It looks like the investigation is still ongoing, and press reports are limited - presumably because the NCA are keeping everything under wraps at the moment. The investigation covers off shore and internationally registered companies so it's going to be much more complex than Peter Murrell's shoddy accounting.