The SNP has ‘giant questions’ to answer on the Peter Murrell scandal, Sir Keir Starmer said on Wednesday, as he blasted the party for refusing to back a parliamentary inquiry.

Sir Keir attacked John Swinney for his lack of transparency after the First Minister refused to support a Holyrood probe into the serious fallout from the case.

But the Prime Minister also refused to provide a clear commitment that he would order a Westminster probe in his final weeks at Downing Street.

The issue was raised in the Commons, 24 hours after Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband was sentenced to five years and three months in jail for the embezzlement of more than £400,000 from the SNP.

Sir Keir was questioned about the scandal by Conservative MP John Lamont, who said that ‘serious questions about governance and oversight remain unanswered’.

Mr Lamont condemned the Scottish Government for refusing to establish an inquiry ‘despite clear public concern’ and highlighted that the law provides for a UK inquiry into devolved matters ‘where there is a wider public interest’.

He asked: ‘So as the Prime Minister prepares to leave office, will he set up an inquiry with the powers needed so we can uncover the truth?’

Sir Keir said: ‘It is really a serious set of questions that need to be answered by the SNP and the (Scottish) Government, and they simply refuse to do so.

‘They call for transparency and accountability for everybody else, when they have giant questions of their own to answer “nothing to see here, don’t want to know, don’t want to have an inquiry”. Totally the wrong approach.’

Tory MPs are pushing for a Westminster probe after SNP and Green MSPs previously united to defeat calls for a Scottish Parliament inquiry into the scandal.

Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee is also considering whether to launch a full probe into the implications and lessons for key institutions like the Crown Office, Police Scotland and the Scottish Government.

But the committee is expected to delay a decision while waiting for responses from the Electoral Commission and Speaker of the House of Commons and to give newly-formed Holyrood committees time to consider carrying out their own probe.

Following the exchanges at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Lamont said: ‘Sir Keir Starmer at least recognised that the SNP have a huge number of serious questions still to answer on the Murrell scandal.

‘But it was disappointing that he stopped short of giving his wholehearted support for an inquiry to take place as soon as possible, which would have put even more pressure on John Swinney.

‘That would have been a nice parting gift from the Prime Minister as he prepares to leave Downing Street after a series of broken promises and U-turns.’

During sentencing in the High Court on Tuesday, Lord Young said Murrell had managed to ‘circumvent’ checks and balances because of his position of authority as chief executive of the SNP but also said that the manner of the embezzlement was ‘not particularly sophisticated’.

This led to claims the remarks have reaffirmed the need for a robust and independent inquiry to take place.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: ‘Following the judge’s comments, John Swinney has no place left to hide. The judge demolishes any idea that Peter Murrell was a criminal mastermind whose sophistication and cunning pulled the wool over the eyes of everyone in the SNP.

‘At the very least, Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon emboldened Murrell due to the SNP’s non-existent financial controls. But worse than that, they enabled Murrell by shutting down valid questions and falsely assuring people that their finances were sound.

‘As the king of SNP cover-ups, Swinney is desperate to bury this but the judge’s damning comments reaffirm the need for a robust and independent inquiry.’

Among those demanding a parliamentary inquiry is Joanna Cherry KC, who accused the former leadership of the party of ‘hostility’ towards those ‘questioning what Murrell was up to in respect of internal party governance and party finances’.

She said: ‘Murrell would not have got away with what he did for so long without the hostility to debate, transparency and scrutiny enforced by the SNP leadership and their cronies and the harassment and intimidation of those who dared to speak up. That is why we need an independent inquiry.’

Three former members of the SNP’s finance and audit committee who resigned in March 2021 amid concerns about the party’s financial health and governance also raised concerns about the way their concerns were handled.

Ms Sturgeon told a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee that the party’s finances had 'never been stronger' and urged members to be 'very careful' about suggesting there were 'any problems' with them.

In their joint statement, Allison Graham, Cynthia Guthrie, and Frank Ross, said the response to their resignation had been ‘deeply concerning to all of us’.

They said: ‘We would like to place on record our appreciation for the professionalism shown by Police Scotland throughout a lengthy and difficult high-profile investigation that required focus, objectivity, credible evidence, and institutional integrity.

‘We hope there will now be a reflection on the unjustified attacks made against all those involved in carrying out and supporting the work that led to a guilty plea in this case.’

The SNP highlighted Mr Swinney’s previous comments on calls for a parliamentary inquiry.

He rejected calls for a parliamentary inquiry on Tuesday, saying there was ‘a very clear criminal justice conclusion’ to the case.

He admitted that there had been ‘a heavy reliance on trust’ in the party but that ‘checks and balances’ in place were able to be subverted by Murrell.

At First Minister’s Questions last month, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said institutions like the Crown Office, Police Scotland, HM Revenue and Customs and the Scottish Legal Aid Board must face questions on ‘why a wealthy man who owns property abroad and says he has the means to immediately pay back £400,000 had access to legal aid’ and urged Mr Swinney to work with other parties to ensure this is covered in the terms of reference for an independent review.

But Mr Swinney claimed Labour is ‘trying to score grubby political points’ and that his party was ‘the victim of an embezzlement’, and also urged him to ‘accept the democratic outcomes that take their course’.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused the SNP of a ‘cover-up’ earlier this month, and said the Scottish Affairs Committee should investigate because ‘we should not allow the cover-up to stand’. She added: ‘If Holyrood won’t look at it, Westminster should.’