Sturgeon confident of winning no-confidence vote in wake of ruling

The first minister says she is “confident” of winning a no-confidence vote in the Scottish Parliament today, after an independent inquiry found she had not breached the ministerial code.

Nicola Sturgeon told the BBC “some pretty grim allegations” have been levelled at her over the past few months in relation to the Alex Salmond inquiry, which “had not been easy and had been difficult to contend with”.

Her remarks follow the release of the longanticipated report by Ireland’s former director of public prosecutions, James Hamilton.

The first minister said: “I’ve made peace with my own conscience on all of these matters and I have been very clear in my mind that I acted appropriately and did not breach the ministerial code.

“It’s important to the Scottish people that they have independent verification and adjudication of that and that is what they now have.”

Ms Sturgeon referred herself to the independent adviser on the ministerial code following Mr Salmond’s successful legal challenge of the Scottish Government’s unlawful investigation, which led to him winning more than £500,000 in court.

Speaking following the release of Mr Hamilton’s ruling, she said she “looks forward” to the publication today of the report from the parliamentary committee into the Scottish Government’s handling of complaints about Mr Salmond.

Ms Sturgeon said: “But I cannot escape the conclusion that there are some members of that committee – because their public utterances show this – that decided before a single word of evidence has been taken that I was guilty of something and nothing was going to remove them from that view.”

She added she was “confident” of winning a no-confidence vote in her leadership.

She said: “Let’s remember here the Tories said they would have a vote of no confidence in me before I’d uttered a single word of evidence before the parliamentary inquiry.

“They have decided this issue a long time ago, so that’s a political stunt being brought forward by the Tories.”

Scottish

Conservative leader Douglas Ross insisted he could not agree with Mr Hamilton’s assessment as he vowed to press ahead with the vote of no confidence.

The Conservative MP said: “The first minister has been given a pass because it has been judged her ‘failure of recollection’ was ‘not deliberate’.

“I respect Mr Hamilton and his judgment but we cannot agree with that assessment.

“Nicola Sturgeon did not suddenly turn forgetful.”

He added: “As James Hamilton says, it is up to the Scottish Parliament to decide minister misleading.”

But today’s vote of no confidence is expected to fall because the Green party will side with the SNP, giving Ms Sturgeon majority support.

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie criticised the Conservatives and 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.” if the has first been

CLEARED: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon leaving her Glasgow home yesterday.