THE SNP is in its strongest financial position since being founded, owing nothing to the banks and is commercially debt-free.
A spokeswoman revealed the party’s financial health as an Electoral Commission report showed it had outstripped the LibDems on fundraising on a UK basis over the last three months and was third behind Labour and the Conservatives.
The SNP registered income during the period of £1,988,657 compared to Labour’s £3,529,270 and the Conservatives’ £2,744,618. The LibDems collected £1,199,623.
The figures put the party in a strong financial position as it prepares to put the union to the test over independence.
The surge in SNP donations was mainly thanks to £1 million received from Euro lottery winners Chris and Colin Weir and a £918,000 legacy from the former national poet Edwin Morgan, who died last year.
An SNP spokeswoman said the party was “very grateful for the bequest left to us by Scotland’s former makar Edwin Morgan and the generosity of Chris and Colin Weir along with all those donors who have given their support to the party”.
Almost 90% of donations to Labour came from the unions and the figure is certain to fuel Tory claims that the party is overly influenced by the sector.
A Labour spokesman said that its biggest single source of income was membership subscriptions and small donations below the threshold requiring declaration.
The biggest single donation was £1,493,317 given to Labour by the Unite trade union with Unison giving another £731,299.
The Tories did not bring in any mega-donations during the period, the biggest being a £258,500 boost from financier Peter Cruddas. Their Coalition partners the Liberal Democrats accepted £580,272 from the Methuen Liberal Trust Fund as part of its total.
Labour presently owes almost £10m in loans, compared with £2.7m for the Tories.
The Tories and Labour exchanged fire over the donation figures – criticising each other for being over-reliant on trade union cash or money from the City.
Conservative Party co-chairman Baroness Warsi accused Labour leader Ed Miliband of failing to condemn planned mass strikes because of the funding.
“The unions swung Ed Miliband’s election as leader and it’s now clear that Labour is becoming even more reliant on the unions to keep the party afloat,” she said.
Labour hit back by compiling figures showing 42.6% of Tory donations, just over £1m, came from individuals and companies related to the financial and financial services sector.
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