Former first minister serves papers on Government

ALEX Salmond has formally served legal papers on the Scottish Government over the way sexual misconduct allegations against him were handled.

The former SNP leader’s legal team, Levy & McRae, yesterday confirmed a petition for judicial review in the Court of Session has now been served.

Scotland’s most senior civil servant, Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, is named as the first respondent in the case, with lawyers saying she had established the procedure which Mr Salmond is now challenging. He now intends to ‘leave the Court to determine’ the matter, the statement said.

Confirmation of the action came as the crowdfunding campaign set up by the former first minister to help towards his legal costs got closer to raising £100,000. A statement yesterday from Levy & McRae said: ‘We can confirm, at 10am this morning, a petition for judicial review in the Court of Session by Mr Alex Salmond was served on the legal representatives of the Scottish Government.

‘We can also confirm that first respondent is the Permanent Secretary, Ms Leslie Evans, who established the procedure which is the subject of challenge. The second respondent is the Scottish Government.

‘Mr Salmond has no further comment to make but intends to leave the matter for the Court to determine.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We will vigorously defend our position.

‘As we stated last week there are a number of inaccuracies in Mr Salmond’s public statements which for legal reasons we cannot address just now. We will address those matters in court.’