Inquiry ‘must look at fresh claims by Salmond’
MSPs say allegations about FM ought to be included
A PROBE into Nicola Sturgeon’s meetings with Alex Salmond should be widened to cover explosive new allegations by her former mentor, according to a cross-party group of MSPs.
The First Minister is already being investigated over whether she broke the ministerial code of conduct by failing to disclose meetings with Mr Salmond where allegations about his conduct were discussed.
But four opposition members of the committee holding an inquiry into the handling of the harassment complaints have now asked for the investigation to cover new allegations by Mr Salmond.
Last week, the former First Minister claimed that parliament ‘has been repeatedly misled on a number of occasions’ by Miss Sturgeon about a meeting with her at her home in April 2018.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney described the latest allegations as ‘nonsense’ and said the investigation, being carried out by James Hamilton, QC, is already able to investigate any potential breach of the ministerial code.
The cross-party group of MSPs say the probe should be widened to cover the allegation that the First Minister broke the code by misleading parliament over when she knew of sexual harassment claims against Mr Salmond.
The four MSPs have written to Mr Swinney asking for the remit to be extended and to Mr Hamilton to ask if it will be expanded to cover the issue.
Both letters state: ‘If corroborated, Mr Salmond’s evidence could prove the First Minister knowingly misled parliament both orally and in writing on several occasions about when she first knew that the Government was investigating complaints against the former first minister and of her actions around the same.
‘Equally, Mr Salmond may be fabricating his assertions in an effort to damage Miss Sturgeon. In any case these two versions of events cannot both be true and we believe it to be of importance to the national interest that the facts are established.’
Miss Sturgeon i nitially 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 an informal meeting with Mr Salmond’s chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein, in her Holyrood office four days earlier.
The SNP leader told the Holyrood inquiry into the issue that she ‘forgot’ about the encounter.
The letters say widening the investigation to include examination of whether Miss Sturgeon broke the section of the code dealing with knowingly misleading parliament is vital.
Mr Swinney yesterday told BBC Scotland that the investigation is already able to investigate any breach of the ministerial code.
He said: ‘I’m surprised by this line of argument from Alex Salmond and the Scottish Conservatives, because it appears they’re not keeping up with events.
‘ I answered a parliamentary question in November which made clear the James Hamilton Inquiry could look at any aspect of a breach of the ministerial code.
‘The First Minister looks forward to setting out all of the views and perspectives she has on this issue, to put to rest some of the absolute nonsense that has been circulating about this particular issue.’
Meanwhile, the Conservatives yesterday said allegations made by Mr Salmond could force Miss Sturgeon to sack her top adviser if corroborated. Mr Salmond said in his submission to Mr Hamilton that the First Minister’s chief of staff, Liz Lloyd, disclosed the name of one of the complainers in a meeting with one of his team.
But a Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘This claim is untrue. The Scottish Government has protected the identities of the complainants throughout.
‘The First Minister has set out her contacts with Mr Salmond in detail to parliament.’