New First Minister Humza Yousaf has already endured some huge setbacks just two weeks into his reign as SNP leader.
From a high-profile arrest to signs disenchanted voters are deserting the party, he has faced a tough two weeks.
Here are the six moments that have rocked the SNP since Mr Yousaf took charge.
1 – Peter Murrell arrested
The arrest of Nicola Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell thrust lingering questions over the SNP’s finances into the national spotlight last week.
Former party chief Mr Murrell was taken into custody by police for 11 hours on April 5 before later being released without charge.
A tent was erected outside his home while officers searched for clues inside. Police were also sent to the SNP’s headquarters in Edinburgh.
Ex-First Minister Ms Sturgeon denied she had any prior knowledge of her husband’s arrest and it’s understood she was still at home when officers arrived.
It later emerged police had also reportedly seized a luxury campervan worth more than £100,000 from Mr Murrell’s mother’s home.
Police are continuing to investigate the spending of £600,000 donated to the SNP which had been set aside for independence campaigning.
Prior to Mr Yousaf’s victory in the leadership campaign, Mr Murrell had resigned from his role as party chief in the midst of a row over membership numbers.
2 – The big Sturgeon dilemma
For years Ms Sturgeon remained the central figure within the SNP and she was seen as pivotal to their enduring electoral success.
She had been leader since the referendum in 2014, and served as Alex Salmond’s deputy for a decade before taking on the top job.
But already senior party insiders are seeking to distance her from the campaign to secure independence following her husband’s arrest.
One serving MP claimed the former minister acted “like a deity” when she was in charge.
When Mr Yousaf ran for the top job he pitched himself as the continuity candidate who would carry forward Ms Sturgeon’s legacy.
However, he admitted last week there were clear problems with how the SNP was being governed while she was leader.
3 – ‘No auditors’ revelation
Further questions over the SNP’s money management have now emerged after it emerged the party’s auditors quit around six months ago.
Mr Yousaf confirmed accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael resigned “round about October”, but the party did not disclose this at the time.
The new first minister accepted this was “problematic”. He insisted his party was “working very hard” to find a replacement.
4 – Disastrous polling
Turmoil which has engulfed the SNP ever since Ms Sturgeon announced her resignation has had a clear impact on fed-up voters.
The party swept Labour off the map at Westminster in Scotland eight years ago, but polls have indicated the tide is shifting back.
A Savanta poll at the end of March put Labour just 6% behind the SNP, a result which would see them win numerous seats.
SNP leads Labour by 5 points in Scotland. In 2019, Labour came third.
Scotland Westminster VI (31 March – 1 April):
SNP 36% (-3)
Labour 31% (+2)
Conservative 19% (-3)
Lib Dem 10% (+4)
Green 2% (–)
Reform 2% (–)
Other 1% (–)Changes +/- 2-5 Marchhttps://t.co/0jIqoLLdLG pic.twitter.com/YzhZYZSdOP
— Redfield & Wilton Strategies (@RedfieldWilton) April 4, 2023
Another poll from Redfield & Winton, which came out last week, put the gap between the two parties at just 3% in a Westminster vote.
If that unfolded in an election, Anas Sarwar’s party could end up with more Scottish MPs than the SNP, which would have been unthinkable months ago.
In a separate question, Redfield & Winton found the SNP would only get 38% of constituency votes in a Holyrood vote, and just 30% in the regional list.
5 – Mike Russell remarks
Veteran former SNP minister Mike Russell stepped in as the party’s interim chief after Mr Murrell stepped down.
But already his remarks since taking office have shone a light on Mr Yousaf’s mammoth task in managing the party while trying to deliver independence.
Ms Sturgeon found herself at a dead end in attempts to secure a second referendum and little will be different for her successor.
Mr Russell admitted achieving independence anytime soon is unlikely, and insisted any fresh campaign must allow for “different visions”.
In a bombshell claim, he also warned the party was enduring its biggest crisis for 50 years.
6 – Calls for a re-run
That Mr Murrell’s arrest came after the SNP leadership election ended may be as much of a relief as it is a headache for Mr Yousaf.
The first minister was backed by the weight of many senior party figures, but only narrowly defeated Kate Forbes when push came to shove.
Veteran Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil said Mr Murrell being taken into custody could have had a “material impact” on the end result.
He even astonishingly questioned whether the arrest had been delayed so Ms Sturgeon could quit and be replaced.
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