Police investigate harassment claims against Alex Salmond: Report and Alan Cochrane,

Auslan Cramb

Christopher Hope

POLICE confirmed last night that they had opened an investigation into claims that Alex Salmond sexually harassed two female members of staff.

Scotland’s former first minister has categorically denied the allegations while admitting he was “no saint” when he was in office.

He said he had made many mistakes in his political and personal life and was not a “paragon of virtue” but had never harassed anyone and had never “engaged in criminality”.

His successor, Nicola Sturgeon, said the claims were “incredibly difficult” for her and the SNP but insisted they could not be “swept under the carpet”.

The incidents are alleged to have happened in December 2013, at Bute House, the first minister’s official residence in Edinburgh.

Two complaints were raised in January against Mr Salmond after Ms Sturgeon approved new procedures for investigating complaints of harassment in the workplace. Mr Salmond learnt of the allegations against him in March.

Questions will be asked about when Ms Sturgeon – who was Mr Salmond’s deputy when the incidents allegedly happened – became aware of any rumours or allegations. Ms Sturgeon insisted that the first she knew of the complaints was in April this year.

One SNP figure said there were tensions between Mr Salmond and “some of the people around her [Ms Sturgeon]” adding: “It is more personal than political.” However, in a series of interviews yesterday, Mr Salmond described Ms Sturgeon as a “close friend and colleague for many years”, and said he had discussed the matter with her on three occasions.

He would not be drawn on the nature of the complaints, or on whether other complaints had been made against him. He also said he was not certain of the identities of those involved, but wanted their anonymity to be protected.

The Daily Telegraph understands that the alleged victims were civil servants at the time of the incidents.

Mr Salmond dismissed some of the allegations as “patently ridiculous” but added that he had “no animus” towards the two people who had complained.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said that it was assessing information it had received and that inquiries were at an early stage.

The former MP and MSP, who stood down as first minister after losing the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, has raised proceedings in Scotland’s highest civil court to challenge the way the investigation has been conducted by Leslie Evans, the permanent secretary to the Scottish government and Scotland’s top civil servant.

However, Ms Sturgeon dismissed his criticisms, saying the government would mount a “vigorous defence” of its handling of the case.