WE CAN’T KICK OUT SALMOND OVER SEX CLAIMS
STURGEON: ‘NO LEGAL BASIS’ TO SUSPEND FORMER FIRST MINISTER FROM PARTY
NICOLA Sturgeon yesterday insisted there is “no legal basis” to suspend Alex Salmond from the SNP over sexual misconduct allegations.
The First Minister spoke days after the Record revealed details of an investigation into her predecessor relating to complaints from two women.
Sturgeon said the SNP must follow due process and that the complaints had been made to the Government, not the party.
ThE SNP have already been rocked by a damaging harassment probe against former minister Mark McDonald.
But in that case, the complaint was made to the party, not the Government, so they were able to take action directly.
McDonald quit his role in the Government and was suspended shortly afterwards.
he then resigned from the SNP, insisting he should remain at holyrood as an independent MSP.
Last night, Scottish Tories equalities spokeswoman Annie Wells said: “Given what happened previously with Mark McDonald, it seems like, with the SNP, it’s one rule for one member, and another rule for another.
“Despite this latest statement from Nicola Sturgeon, many questions still remain about what has occurred.
“We are still none the wiser as to the way the assault was treated when it was alleged to have taken place nor do we know when anyone in the SNP or the Scottish Government were informed about the incident.
“As the First Minister herself states, these are very serious allegations.
“As such, they deserve to be taken seriously and that means seeing full transparency from the SNP and the Scottish Government as to how they handled it.”