FM is not ‘ distracted’ by Salmond accusations

NICOLA STURGEON has insisted she is not distracted from the coronavirus pandemic by Alex Salmond’s accusations she broke the ministerial code.

The former first minister claimed his successor misled MSPs with “false and manifestly untrue” statements about when she first knew of sexual harassment allegations against Mr Salmond.

But Ms Sturgeon said she does not believe she lied to Parliament and said she was “focused 100%” on the Scottish Government’s coronavirus response.

Ms Sturgeon initially told Holyrood she first heard of complaints of sexual misconduct against her predecessor when they met at her home on April 2, 2018.

It later emerged she had a meeting with Mr Salmond’s chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein, in her Holyrood office four days earlier.

The SNP leader told a Scottish Parliament committee examining the Scottish Government’s botched handling of sexual harassment allegations against Mr Salmond she “forgot” about the encounter.

Challenged about her account at yesterday’s coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon said: “These are matters that are under investigation both by a parliamentary committee inquiry and also by an independent advisor.

“I will set out my recollection of events and my account of events to both of those inquiries and people will draw their own conclusions.

“It’s very important that I answer any questions that are levelled to me before these inquiries and that I’m open to full scrutiny. I do not consider I misled Parliament but of course that is for others to judge.

“At all times I will seek to put the interests of the country first – that’s the most important thing for any First Minister and, right now, the most important thing I have to do for the country is steer us through this pandemic.”