Yousaf and Forbes urge SNP members to stay with party after auditors disclosure

First minister reveals firm resigned several months ago but that he did not find out until first NEC meeting as party leader

The new leader of the Scottish National party, Humza Yousaf, and his closest rival for the position, Kate Forbes, have urged party members to stay the course as further accusations of secrecy and financial mismanagement engulf the party.

On Tuesday, Yousaf revealed that the SNP’s auditors quit six months ago, a fact none of the leadership contenders were made aware of during the campaign to replace Nicola Sturgeon, raising significant questions about transparency under the former chief executive Peter Murrell.