First minister cannot afford to breatheeasier just yet

With just days to go before the launch of the Scottish Parliament election campaign, all eyes are on Nicola Sturgeon and two blockbuster reports into her actions during the Alex Salmond affair.

The first, an independent investigation conducted by Ireland’s former chief prosecutor James Hamilton, has exonerated the first minister over questions regarding meetings she had with her predecessor in 2018.

This probe looked specifically at whether Ms Sturgeon broke the ministerial code of conduct by failing to report meetings she had with Mr Salmond when allegations about his actions towards a number of women were first emerging.

It is a watershed moment for the SNP leader, with many observers speculating the opposite result could have spelled the end for Ms Sturgeon’s political career.

The second big test will come early today when the Holyrood committee investigating the Scottish Government’s handling of harassment complaints finally publishes its longawaited report.

The Holyrood inquiry, essentially an investigation into an investigation, will “consider and report” on the actions of the first minister, special advisers and government officials in response to the allegations against Mr Salmond.

As part of the process,

MSPS have looked at how the government’s antiharassment policy was developed, the internal handling of the complaints, a judicial review of the process and a series of meetings between Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon.

It has not considered the criminal case against Mr Salmond or the court proceedings that saw him acquitted of all charges.

Leaked paragraphs of the report appear to show a 5-4 conclusion along party

lines that Ms Sturgeon misled the committee, with Conservative, Labour, an Independent and Liberal Democrat committee members voting in favour.

A spokesman for the first minister insisted Ms Sturgeon “told the truth to the committee” and condemned “partisan and selective briefing” of inquiry business.

A third hurdle, a vote of no confidence in Ms Sturgeon as first minister brought forward by the

Scottish Conservatives, may already have been cleared following confirmation the Greens – who hold the balance of power at Holyrood – will not back it.

“Mr Hamilton has clearly concluded that the first minister did not breach the ministerial code, so we will not support the vote of no confidence being pushed by the Tories,” said Greens coleader Patrick Harvie.

Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross said recently that a vote of no confidence must take place to “give parliament the opportunity to have its say on the first minister’s conduct”.

But Mr Harvie said: “This entire saga should have been about examining a process that let down women and ensuring that was never repeated.

“In their ridiculous attempts to pursue a political scalp the Tories have completely ignored that fact.”

James Hamilton cleared Ms Sturgeon of wrongdoing.