Reckoning looms for ‘arrogant’ Sturgeon

NICOLA STURGEON has been ‘brought low by arrogance and pettiness’, a former colleague said yesterday as the First Minister battled to keep her job.

Miss Sturgeon’s career could be over within hours, as Scotland hears from two major inquiries into whether or not she broke the ministerial code.

Her conduct following sexual harassment claims against Alex Salmond could lead to a vote of noconfidence on Wednesday – unless she resigns before then.

Miss Sturgeon was described as a ‘hugely gifted politician brought low by arrogance and pettiness’ by Dorothy- Grace elder, a former MSP. Writing in a Scottish newspaper, she said: ‘excessive secrecy and resentment of others have harmed an SNP Government which could have been great.

‘What is mistaken for discipline is really fear. The party is riddled with dirty tricks. The Salmond saga is only part of it all.’

She wrote in the Sunday Mail that despite sharing an office with Miss Sturgeon for years, the future leader never spoke to her as she ‘ignored those who weren’t cronies’.

An independent inquiry is expected to reveal within 48 hours whether Miss Sturgeon is judged to have interfered in Holyrood’s botched investigation into Mr Salmond. The First Minister referred herself to the ministerial watchdog in January 2019 after admitting she had met her predecessor to discuss claims of sexual harassment.

A separate report on the scandal, from the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints, is due to be published tomorrow. It is set to conclude that Miss Sturgeon misled the Scottish Parliament over her account of a meeting with Mr Salmond at her home in April 2018.

Leaks have revealed that MSPs believe she gave an inaccurate version of events by insisting she did not offer to intervene in the case. Scottish Tories have vowed to table a motion of no confidence in her on Wednesday if she does not quit.

Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins told the BBC yesterday: ‘The evidence is not just clear but overwhelming that Nicola Sturgeon has misled Parliament on countless occasions... she needs to resign.’

Miss Sturgeon has insisted she told the truth to the Holyrood inquiry. The storm has damaged the SNP’s standing ahead of elections in May – which could kill off plans for another vote on independence.

Mr Salmond was cleared of sexual assault at trial. He won a civil case against the Scottish Government, which was found to have been ‘tainted by apparent bias’ and ordered to pay his £512,000 legal bill.

‘She needs to resign’