THE SNP have confirmed they have met a deadline to file the accounts of the party’s Westminster group.

The group appointed new auditors AMS Accountants Group, who are also working on the party’s accounts, after the previous firm quit last September.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said he only discovered Johnston Carmichael were no longer the party’s auditors after 10 years in the wake of winning the SNP leadership contest.

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The SNP had to meet a deadline of the end of May for the Westminster group accounts, or risk losing out on £1.2 million of “short money” - which is paid to opposition parties to support their work in the Commons.

SNP group treasurer Peter Grant MP said: "I'm pleased to confirm that the annual return for the SNP Westminster Group's 'short money' for 2022/23 has received a clean audit certificate and has been submitted, on time, to the parliamentary authorities.

"Throughout this process, SNP MPs have remained focused on standing up for Scotland and supporting our hard-working staff.

"We will continue to hold the Tories and pro-Brexit Labour to account for the damage their policies are inflicting on Scotland."

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Previous accountants Johnston Carmichael stepped back as SNP auditor in October last year after a "review of its client portfolio", but the resignation was only revealed in April.

At the time Yousaf said: “Frankly, it would have been helpful to have known beforehand.

"But equally I know the party has been working to try to get replacement auditors, without success so far.

"My job is to make sure we can get those replacement auditors as soon as I possibly can.”

The next deadline the SNP have to meet is the submission of its national and Westminster accounts to the Electoral Commission by July 7, with failure to do so potentially resulting in a fine.