ANGER OVER CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN

WEALTHY Alex Salmond was accused of abusing his power by asking supporters to dig deep and pay for his court case against the Scottish Government.

The former first minister was being sent large sums at an astonishing rate after setting up a crowdfunding page online.

He asked for £50,000 and last night seemed set to hit the target as donations poured in.

At one point, pledges were being added about every 10 seconds.

In an online statement, Salmond said the costs of taking Holyrood’s chief civil servant to judicial review at the Court of Session “are huge”.

In a video, he said many supporters had asked “how they can help directly”.

He said any money left over from the court costs will go to “good causes” in Scotland and beyond.

However, Scottish Labour MSP Rhoda Grant said: “That an independently wealthy man with his celebrity and political power is raising legal fees through crowdfunding for a case ultimately linked to sexual harassment is unbelievable.

“It suggests he is sending a signal to those who have made allegations that he has the upper hand.

“Decent people will rightly be furious that he is to raise money to take the Scottish Government to court.

“Alex Salmond is abusing his power, and dragging Scotland into the gutter.”

On social media, Tory MSP Murdo Fraser posted: “Will Nicola Sturgeon now be launching a crowdfund for the Scottish Government’s legal costs against Salmond? Extraordinary times.”

A Scottish Conservative spokesman added: “The fact he now has the brass neck to publicly crowdfund in the same breath as seemingly doing the right thing is astonishing.”