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MP NATALIE McGarry handed a four-figure sum to Women for Independence before the group called in police, it emerged yesterday.

The embattled Glasgow East MP gave the cash to WFI, who she helped to found, after financial discrepancies were revealed in their accounts.

The Record revealed on Monday WFI had called in police after an audit found £30,000 in donations is unaccounted for.

Much of the money is understood to have been paid to a Paypal account linked to McGarry’s bank account.

The 34-year-old resigned the SNP whip on Tuesday.

It’s understood McGarry accepts the bookkeeping of the group was poor and attempted to resolve the situation with the payment late this summer.

A source close to the MP said: “She was in the process of trying to sort out what was a shambles.”

Friends say she was “shocked and dismayed” when her collegues at WFI called in the police.

McGarry – who denies any wrongdoing – helped set up WFI as a small campaigning group in 2012 and was responsible for their finances before she became an MP.

The MP has offered to meet police to discuss the case but this has not yet happened.

The police have also not established any criminality took place.

McGarry’s solicitor Aamer Anwar said last night: “It would be inappropriate to comment until we have had an opportunity to provide the full facts to both WFI and the police.”