Airport sex claims against Salmond were not covered up by SNP, says Sturgeon
NICOLA Sturgeon yesterday claimed the SNP acted ‘entirely appropriately’ while dealing with allegations about Alex Salmond’s behaviour towards female staff at an airport.
The First Minister defended the way her party and the Scottish Government has acted in relation to claims made a decade ago about the way her predecessor behaved while being escorted through Edinburgh Airport.
She dismissed suggestions the claims against Mr Salmond were ‘tolerated and concealed’, saying that is ‘emphatically not the case’.
She discussed the issue for the first time since it was disclosed that accusations were made by female Edinburgh Airport staff about Mr Salmond’s behaviour in late 2008 – which were then passed on to a senior figure in the SNP, understood to be former Westminster leader Angus Robertson.
Asked by Sky News yesterday if Mr Robertson told her about Edinburgh Airport’s concerns, Miss Sturgeon said she ‘cannot comment or answer questions’ about the issue due to the civil court action between Mr Salmond and the Scottish Government and ongoing police inquiries.
However, she did say: ‘I am absolutely satisfied that I, the SNP and the Scottish Government have acted entirely appropriately at all stages.
‘But once we are at the other side of all these legal procedures I will be not just be happy, I will relish the prospect to answer all and every question.’
Put to her that the substance of the claims at Edinburgh Airport ‘were tolerated and concealed and you are part of that’, she said: ‘That is absolutely not the case, emphatically not the case.
‘But I’ve set out to you very clearly, firstly I understand why you are asking me these questions, I understand the interest. But I think people will also understand that serious concerns and complaints have been raised and the people raising these complaints now deserve to have the benefit of the due process – that is what I’m determined will happen.
‘I will answer all and any questions when legal processes have concluded but I think as most people will understand it is neither possible nor appropriate for me to do so at this time.’
Management at the airport made the approach to the SNP after being alerted to alleged incidents involving female staff in late 2008.
They were concerned about the way Mr Salmond acted while being taken through the airport terminal, including a private security area used by VIPs.
Police have interviewed current and former staff at Edinburgh Airport after being informed of the allegations while investigating separate complaints made by Scottish Government employees about the former First Minister earlier this year.
Mr Salmond strongly denies any inappropriate conduct and is said to be unaware of any formal allegations made against him at the time.
A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon claims to have known basically nothing about any of this. But as more allegations emerge, people will find that increasingly hard to believe.
‘They’ll see reports that Angus Robertson was informed and conclude it is very difficult to imagine a situation where that news wouldn’t have reached either Nicola Sturgeon or her husband [SNP chief executive Peter Murrell].’
Scottish Labour equalities spokesman Pauline McNeill said: ‘The allegations facing Alex Salmond are extremely serious and deserve proper scrutiny. But Nicola Sturgeon seems determined to hide behind process rather than be honest about who knew what and when – and crucially what was done to protect women.
‘That is unacceptable. Given it now seems clear Angus Robertson
‘Deserve proper scrutiny’ ‘The allegations are extremely serious’
– one of the SNP’s most senior politicians – was told about concerns around Mr Salmond as early as 2008, we need an urgent statement from the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon clarifying exactly how these allegations were dealt with.’
Asked on Tuesday about airport officials raising the concerns with him in 2008, Mr Robertson said: ‘Given ongoing inquiries, I am not making any comments at this stage.’
The SNP has also insisted it will not comment on matters relating to Alex Salmond ‘while police inquiries are ongoing’.
A spokesman for Mr Salmond said: ‘Mr Salmond denies all suggestions of misconduct at any time and suggests that everyone should allow police inquiries to take their proper course without briefing or breaching their confidentiality.
‘Alex has not been interviewed by the police about any matter. He is content to have his case against the Scottish Government stated in the Court of Session in January.’