Messages from Crown in Salmond probe ‘not in inquiry remit’
The committee examining the Scottish Government’s botched handling of harassment complaints against former first minister Alex Salmond has agreed messages released to it from the Crown Office are “not relevant to the committee’s work”.
The decision comes as the women at the heart of the initial complaints say they are “deeply disappointed" and “deeply disturbed” by both the committee and the inquiry’s decision to request and provide access to the messages, which they described as “personal communications between friends who supported each other during a traumatic time”.
The messages – from the socalled “Vietnam” group – were pitched by supporters of the former first minister as being key to providing evidence for a conspiracy by the SNP’S high command against Mr Salmond.
Committee members had decided to invoke never-before-used powers demanding the Crown Office hand the material over.
However, in a statement released yesterday, committee convener Linda Fabiani said the publication of the messages handed to the committee was not "necessary to fulfil its remit”.
She said: “After reviewing the material received from the Crown Office, the committee has unanimously agreed that the private communications within the material will not be published. These communications included numerous chains of private messages between different women in what we are clear were safe spaces for confidential support.
“The committee is clear that publication and further consideration of this material is not relevant to the committee’s work or necessary to fulfil its remit. We will not publish any of these messages as we are clear that we will not do anything that may cause further unnecessary distress to any women.
“We will not be commenting further to seek to limit further speculation on these messages.”
One senior source in the Scottish Government said the content of the messages “destroys” any accusation of conspiracy.
They said: "This destroys Alex Salmond’s conspiracy theory. Our political worst enemies have read these messages and concluded there is nothing to see here.
“This is the moment when people should recognise all they [the women] did was support each other through some difficult, emotional and traumatic times.”
Rape Crisis Scotland also published a statement from the women at the heart of the complaints against Mr Salmond wherein they state “not one” of the messages were relevant and that they only showed “bonds of friendship and support".
The joint statement criticised both the committee and the Crown Office for requesting the messages and ‘breaking the trust’ between victims and the prosecution service in providing them.
The statement says: “We urge the Crown to consider the grave consequences of their actions and are actively considering further options.”