THE SNP have received more than £1 million from a dozen supporters leaving donations in their wills over the past two years, it has emerged.
According to official accounts, the party raised £420,000 from bequests in 2020 alone – which is over three times higher than the £132,000 reported by UK Labour.
The figures, reported by the Press and Journal, show that since 2000 there have been 70 bequests from supporters worth £4.6m.
Almost half the donations have been received since the 2014 referendum, while just under a third of donations have come since 2019.
READ MORE: SNP accounts published by Electoral Commission show party finances
The largest bequest in the past two decades came from Scotland’s first national poet Edwin Morgan, who left just over £1.1m to the party following his death in 2010.
The only other party which regularly raises more from wills is the UK Conservative Party, with £1.4m donated in 2020.
Samuel Power, an expert in political financing at the University of Sussex, said the number of bequests could be due to the SNP gaining “steam and a lot of popularity” because of the independence referendum of 2014.
"And because it's a nationalist party, if you will, the Scottish National Party, perhaps there is a particular appeal to bequeathing money ... because it feels like a cause for nationalists,” he said.
"Or it could be that this is a defined fundraising strategy. We know that political parties across the UK, but also elsewhere, they have strategies that they follow that they know are quite fruitful."
Professor Robert Johns, co-authored of the book Takeover: Explaining The Extraordinary Rise Of The SNP, pointed to the surge in membership which took place after the referendum.
He added: "In a sense donating via bequests is another form of political participation in a way, like joining a party."
Recent bequests include from Dr Norman Allan, who gave the party £250,000 following his death in 2019 at the age of 96.
READ MORE: UK Labour Party haemorrhaging funds and members, accounts reveal
He was one of the first SNP candidates to win a seat for his party in the north-east, representing Banff and Portsoy on Grampian Regional Council for 10 years.
Other donations included from William Ritchie, who bequeathed £91,996 and two from Edward Montgomery totalling more than £45,000.
Morven Polson, from Edinburgh, left the party £370,000 last year and South-African born Estelle Brownrig gifted £120,000 in 2019.
An SNP spokesman said: "The SNP is immensely grateful for every legacy, large or small.
"We rely on the kindness and generosity of our members and supporters for income."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel