SNP business convener Angela Constance said it was an “internal party matter” how cash donated to the party for independence campaigning had been spent.
She spoke out amid reports that police are being urged to launch a fresh investigation into the whereabouts of more than £600,000 of party cash, which was said to be “ringfenced” for campaigning in a future second referendum.
Concerns that this money had gone missing led to the Operation Branchform investigation into SNP finances, which last week resulted in former chief executive Peter Murrell admitting to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party over a period of 12 years.
SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney said on Wednesday that the £600,000 was “part of the resources that are available within the Scottish National Party to support its independence objectives”.
Speaking to journalists, he said: “The SNP is the party of independence and that is what we campaign for.”
While the matter was raised with police, the force said there would be no fresh investigation.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “The individual has been informed that the information provided had already been investigated as part of our inquiries and no further action will be taken at this time, however, should any new information be received this will be assessed.”
Ms Constance, the SNP business convener as well Scottish Health Secretary, insisted that “essentially this matter is an internal party matter”.
She told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme: “The whole raison d’etre of the Scottish National Party is to further the cause of independence, we do that day in, day out.
“And, of course, the matter, in terms of the original complaint that was made to the police, has been investigated.
“The justice system has done its job and got to the route of the matter, which is the embezzlement of a large sum of money from my party, from SNP members, and the justice system has brought that person to justice.”
She went on to stress: “Members of the SNP campaign for independence each and every day, and all of our activities are about furthering the cause of independence.”
While she added it would be a “matter for the police” if a fresh investigation is pursued, Ms Constance was clear that there “has already been a very extensive police investigation and justice has been served in terms of this particular crime committed against the Scottish National Party”.
Her comments came as SNP depute leader Keith Brown insisted members and supporters who gave money to the independence fund had “absolutely not” been defrauded by the party.
He told BBC Radio Scotland: “I know the strain people have gone through to contribute towards the SNP’s aim of independence, and the SNP has put that aim at the forefront of every election campaign.”
Mr Brown added: “I have been in the SNP for over 40 years, I have seen any number of financial appeals, which I have always understood to be to pursue the SNP’s main aim of independence.”
Regarding the funding, the SNP depute leader said: “This situation was looked at by the police, it was the cause of the police investigation, and they found out there was embezzlement going on by my party’s chief executive.”
He continued: “The initial inquiry by the police was based on a complaint around this issue, the police have extensively and forensically examined that situation and the party has been absolutely clear that the money that it raises will be used in pursuit of independence, and in the interim the pursuit of a question of a referendum, Scotland’s right to have a referendum on independence.”
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said the “car-crash interviews” from Ms Constance and Mr Brown showed the SNP’s “desperate evasion”.
The Tory MSP stated: “They were both at pains to shut down legitimate questions about what has happened to the missing money that independence supporters donated in good faith.
“That is straight from the SNP’s playbook of denial, deflection and cover-up. Those values have epitomised their two decades in power and this latest scandal stinks to high heaven.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie was also critical, saying: “This money was donated by people in good faith, having been specifically told it would be for a ‘ring-fenced’ fund towards an independence campaign.
“This is an outrageous scandal, and SNP ministers should be utterly ashamed that they are continuing to deny the public the truth, including who knew what and when.”
