Calls for probe as Salmond acquitted

Top SNP figure seeks inquiry into party’s handling of complaints

A senior SNP politician has called for an independent inquiry into the party’s handling of complaints against Alex Salmond and said his place in its history “must be restored to the prominence it deserves”.

Edinburgh South West MP Joanna Cherry said she was “very pleased” Mr Salmond had been acquitted of all the charges against him, and said those who know and have met him “did not recognise the man described in the evidence led for the Crown”.

Ms Cherry, the SNP’S Westminster spokesperson for justice and home affairs, was also one of the first top party figures to hit out at the internal handling of the complaints against Mr Salmond.

She said: “There should also be an independent inquiry into how the SNP dealt with these allegations and an inquiry into our internal complaints procedure which many members have expressed significant dissatisfaction with.”

The MP said it “goes without saying that Mr Salmond should be allowed to rejoin the party without delay, if that is what he wishes to do”.

Meanwhile, former SNP depute leadership candidate Chris Mceleny, who sits on Inverclyde Council, called on the SNP’S business convener to take “immediate action in suspending staff members that the trial heard held information about false sexual assault allegations...to be used if needed for political damage.

“This is a disgusting action and it is an affront to people across Scotland that have had to deal with genuine crimes,” he said.

“An independent inquiry must be commissioned by the party to find out who these individuals were, who condoned their actions and each and every one of them must be rooted out of our party, and reported to Police Scotland where deemed appropriate.”

Rape Crisis Scotland highlighted trial’s toll on sexual assault survivors.

In a statement, the charity said: “We fear that the nature of the defence in this case, which focused on trivialising behaviours that would amount to sexual assault, risks turning the clock back on any progress we have made moving towards a better conversation about sexual violence.”

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said there were “some very serious questions” facing the SNP, the Scottish Government and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon following the outcome of the trial.

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There should now be an independent inquiry...

JOANNA CHERRY MP