Salmond re-invited and Murrell recalled to Holyrood inquiry
Alex Salmond has been given a new deadline to appear in front of a Holyrood committee investigating how the Scottish Government botched an inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment by him after he declined to attend this week.
Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell has also been invited to reappear before the committee to give further evidence.
Committee chair Linda Fabiani has written to both men stressing the tight timetable the MSPS are working to in order to have their report completed before the Scottish Parliament dissolves for the May election.
Theinvitationscomeafterthe committee met yesterday in a private session.
Mr Murrell has been asked to testify under oath for a second time on either 26 January or 2 February, with Mr Salmond
givenadeadlineof2februaryof appearing before the committee.
The former first minister had previously rejected appearing yesterday citing the Covid lockdown and had asked to testify on 16 February, a date the committee felt was too distant. In a letterfromhissolicitorslastfriday he also raised a concern he would not be able to “discharge infull”hisdutyunderoathatan evidence session due to fear of prosecution.
In her letter to Mr Salmond, Ms Fabiani wrote: "The Committee’s timetable cannot accommodate an evidence session at any date beyond 2nd February
“The Committee’s first preference is for you to appear in person and the clerks will be happy to discuss with you the arrangements in place to do this in line with current guidance. However the Committee isalsocontentforyoutoappear via remote video link, with the Committee members meeting in person, and should you preferthisoptionourbroadcasting teamwillworkcloselywithyou to ensure that the connection is as robust as possible.”
She also said that the committee was still in discussions with the Crown Office about what information from Mr Salmond's criminal trial, in which he was acquitted of all charges, could be made available to it within its remit.
To Mr Murrell she said MSPS still had questions they wanted to put to him and invited him to give "further oral evidence” in an hour-long virtual session.