Oh dear/
The SNP is set to build up a multimillion-pound war chest for the independence campaign after indications that Britain’s biggest lottery winner is to make a seven-figure donation.
Colin and Chris Weir, the couple from Ayrshire who won a £161 million in the EuroMillions jackpot this year, are reported to be about to hand over some of their winnings to the party.
It would come on top of the news that Edwin Morgan, Scotland’s first national poet, or “makar”, had left the party more than £900,000 in his will.
The Nationalists, who have already been bankrolled to the tune of £500,000 by Sir Brian Souter, the Stagecoach transport tycoon, are also asking the party’s 19,000 members to donate £1 a month to the cost of a referendum campaign.
Mr Weir, 64, from Largs, is a long-time supporter of the SNP and stood as a candidate for the party at the 1987 general election. The former STV cameraman once worked with Alex Salmond, the First Minister and SNP leader, producing party political broadcasts when Mr Salmond was the party’s vice convener for publicity.
It is known that Mr Salmond was in touch with the couple shortly after the announcement of their win and later met to congratulate them.
SNP sources have been quoted as saying that the Weirs have made the offer of a donation but officially the party has described it as speculation.
The SNP’s success in fundraising has left the Unionist parties in Scotland far behind and still unable to co-ordinate fundraising for a “No” campaign.
However, it is unclear whether the SNP could use such windfalls during a referendum campaign. Opposition parties are calling for limits on funding.
Colin and Chris Weir, the couple from Ayrshire who won a £161 million in the EuroMillions jackpot this year, are reported to be about to hand over some of their winnings to the party.
It would come on top of the news that Edwin Morgan, Scotland’s first national poet, or “makar”, had left the party more than £900,000 in his will.
The Nationalists, who have already been bankrolled to the tune of £500,000 by Sir Brian Souter, the Stagecoach transport tycoon, are also asking the party’s 19,000 members to donate £1 a month to the cost of a referendum campaign.
Mr Weir, 64, from Largs, is a long-time supporter of the SNP and stood as a candidate for the party at the 1987 general election. The former STV cameraman once worked with Alex Salmond, the First Minister and SNP leader, producing party political broadcasts when Mr Salmond was the party’s vice convener for publicity.
It is known that Mr Salmond was in touch with the couple shortly after the announcement of their win and later met to congratulate them.
SNP sources have been quoted as saying that the Weirs have made the offer of a donation but officially the party has described it as speculation.
The SNP’s success in fundraising has left the Unionist parties in Scotland far behind and still unable to co-ordinate fundraising for a “No” campaign.
However, it is unclear whether the SNP could use such windfalls during a referendum campaign. Opposition parties are calling for limits on funding.
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