SWINNEY U-TURN OVER SALMOND LEGAL ADVICE
Deputy FM says material will disprove any ‘false allegations’
THE Scottish Government WILL now hand over details to the Salmond Inquiry of legal advice they were given.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney faced possibly being axed over the issue.
But ministers will release the disputed material today, after twice defying votes at Holyrood.
A last-minute ultimatum by the Scottish Greens – that they would back a vote of no confidence in Swinney over his handling of the matter – led to a U-turn in the release of the documents.
A Holyrood committee is investigating the SNP government’s botched handling of sexual misconduct complaints against Salmond when he was first minister.
Salmond pursued a judicial review and it was agreed the internal probe – which destroyed his friendship with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – had been unlawful and tainted by apparent bias.
He was separately acquitted of sexual offences after a High Court trial last year.
In two separate votes, the Scottish Parliament ordered the government to hand over its legal advice in relation to the judicial review.
MSPs believe the government knew early on that their defence was doomed. But ministers had refused to hand over the material and instead gave the inquiry sight of a report which summarised the advice. Swinney is handling the issue for the government.
The Scottish Tories lodged a motion of no confidence in Swinney, which was backed by the Lib Dems and Scottish Labour.
The pro-independence Greens yesterday indicated support for the motion, which meant majority backing. A statement by the party’s MSPs read: “The Scottish Greens have
This screeching U-turn may be a cynical move to save his job MSP JACKIE BAILLIE ON JOHN SWINNEY’S SWITCH
previously voted to ensure that the government’s legal advice is made available to the committee inquiry, and this remains our position. The Scottish Government now has just days left to agree the terms of the committee’s access to the information requested.
“Reaching an agreement on this which is acceptable to the committee is the only way to avoid a vote of no confidence.”
The Greens’ support prompted an immediate U-turn by the government, who will provide the inquiry with the advice. But it is unclear whether there will be redactions.
Swinney said: “It is almost unheard of for the legal advice to be released. But we have to acknowledge the issues at stake now are not normal. The very integrity of the legal system is being questioned.
“Serious allegations have been made. This material allows people to confirm that these allegations are false. We have already shared, in private, with the Scottish Parliament’s committee on these issues the substance of the advice. Now, we recognise that in order to counter false claims being made by some, we must go further. Subject to the mandatory legal checks and processes, we will release the key legal advice.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie, also a committee member, said: “This screeching U-turn from John Swinney may well be a cynical move to save his job, but it is very welcome nonetheless.
“The Scottish Parliament twice voted for the government to hand over its legal advice.
“The committee particularly wants to see external counsel’s advice from when they were first engaged in August – and it must come without any redactions.
“The committee has been obstructed at every turn by this government. But we’re resolved to get to the truth over why the women involved were so badly failed, regardless of any embarrassment that may cause Mr Swinney and his colleagues.”
A BRAVE domestic abuse survivor claims a violent former partner hid all her left shoes in a bizarre bid to stop her leaving the house.
Lauren MacDonald met John McMillan on a dating app in February 2017 and was won over by his charm, which she has since likened to that of American serial killer Ted Bundy.
McMillan, 38, began verbally abusing Lauren, 36, within weeks of them getting together.
He told her what she could wear and in a bid to keep her at home in Glenrothes, put all her left shoes in a bin bag – leaving her stranded for a week.
After a family BBQ in June 2017, a drunken McMillan launched his first physical attack on Lauren and left her with a black eye and severe bruising.
After a grovelling apology, she decided to stay but had to bandage his injured hand, which he had smashed on her face.
She eventually plucked up the courage to tell her family what had been happening and played them phone recordings she had taken over an 11-month period.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court last month, evil McMillan pled guilty to assaulting Lauren and abusing two other former partners.
Brave Lauren waived her right to anonymity to speak to the Record in a bid to find any other victims and encourage women suffering domestic abuse to seek help.
She said: “I met John through the website Plenty of Fish. He was in the year above me at school but I didn’t know him. He lived a fiveminute walk from my house and I thought he was a good guy, a proper family man. I had been in a bad relationship previously, so was a bit nervous. But with John, it was good to begin with.
“The abuse started over money. He wasn’t working and I’d already lent him money but he hadn’t paid me back, so I refused to give him any more. He’d tell me I was selfish, horrible and that my mum would be disgusted with me. “I have fibromyalgia and had bad days where I was in a
lot of pain. He would say
I was faking it as I wanted attention and that I was a drug abuser. I thought about leaving him and tried to many times – then he’d issue more threats, which made me stay.”
She added: “I used to go out during the day with family. He didn’t like me doing that without him, so took every single left shoe I owned. I didn’t know what he was doing at the time but he left with a black bag full of shoes so I couldn’t go out.
“I had a favourite pair of jeans I absolutely loved and made me feel confident. He knew this and destroyed them in front of me, ripping them to pieces.
“Make-up was also a no-go. He said I couldn’t wear it or he’d start asking questions about who I was trying to impress.
“When we were out together, he would tell me he had to walk behind me as I was such an embarrassment and he was ashamed to be seen with me.
“I started to believe what he was saying, that I was selfish and horrible. He then started trying to put distance between me and my family. He’d say they’d been talking about me behind my back and that they didn’t believe I was sick.
“He’s like Ted Bundy. He’s not a serial killer, I know that, but he’s got that charm about him.”
Bundy kidnapped, raped and murdered young women and girls during the 70s and possibly earlier. Before his execution in 1989, he confessed to 30 homicides in seven states.
Lauren added: “I made my family listen to recordings as I didn’t think they would believe me.
“He had everyone fooled. It was awful how much he managed to mess with my head.
“I didn’t realise what was going on was abuse. I thought everything was happening as I wasn’t being good enough.”
On a family holiday to Jamaica, Lauren told them what had been happening. She then went to the police and officers were alerted to two previous victims. McMillan admitted seven charges and is due to be sentenced later this month.
Lauren added: “The fact he pled guilty to it all means people will now believe me. He is charming, manipulative and clever.”
He’s like Ted Bundy. He’s not a serial killer, I know that, but he’s got that charm about him