The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) confirmed that it has stopped funding the former SNP chief executive, who was jailed for five years in June after pleading guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party.

Mr Murrell, 61, was granted means-tested legal aid in April last year. Questions were subsequently raised over the use of public money to fund his legal defence.

A SLAB spokesman said legal aid and data protection laws restricted what could be disclosed about individual applications, but added: “We can confirm the individual is no longer in receipt of legal aid.”

Legal aid applications take account of income, bank balances and investments and can be reviewed while a case is ongoing.

SLAB is understood to have remained in contact with Mr Murrell and his solicitors about his financial circumstances. They were informed on July 28 that his legal aid would be terminated.