MURRELL ON THE RACK
Explosive claim that SNP chief lied over his role in ‘conspiracy’ against Salmond
SNP chief executive Peter Murrell was last night under fresh pressure over claims that he conspired against former party leader Alex Salmond.
Mr Murrell, the husband of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, has played down his role in the investigation against the former Nationalist leader.
He told a Holyrood committee he had not been involved in meetings and did not send messages to other SNP officials, beyond one which had previously been leaked – in which he said it was a ‘good time’ to put pressure on police probing Mr Salmond.
But a high-profile blogger yesterday claimed to be aware of more messages from the SNP chief executive.
Craig Murray, a former UK ambassador and independence campaigner, published a blog, which includes a letter from his lawyer, setting out what he claims are messages held by the Crown Office.
Mr Murrell was called to give evidence to the committee last year, after leaked messages revealed that he had told a party colleague it was a ‘good time to be pressurising’ police who were investigating claims against Mr Salmond.
When giving evidence at Holyrood, he was asked by MSP and interim Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie if he had sent any other messages to party colleagues about Mr Salmond. Mr Murrell replied: ‘There is nothing else. No.’ In his blog, Mr Murray calls this a ‘straight lie’.
He claims he is aware of ‘a lot more material’ and calls on the Crown Office to disclose this, to show whether Mr Murrell had lied under oath to a parliament committee.
Last night, Ms Baillie said the SNP chief must return to the committee to answer questions raised by the blog. She said: ‘It is clear from these bombshell revelations in this post that Peter Murrell has serious questions to answer.
‘I believe the committee must take further evidence from him urgently.’
Scottish Tory MSP Murdo Fraser, a member of the Holyrood committee probing the handling of an investigation into Mr Salmond, said: ‘These are extraordinary revelations that must be investigated to determine if they are true.
‘Peter Murrell must return to the committee to answer what he knows about these allegations.’
Mr Salmond was last year cleared of 13 harassment charges against nine women.
He was due to give evidence to the Holyrood committee on Tuesday, but this appearance has now been postponed.
Mr Salmond has asked for a ‘binding assurance’ that he would not face prosecution for discussing material, believed to be text and WhatsApp messages, relating to the case and held by the Crown Office.
Mr Salmond has claimed that Ms Sturgeon, his successor, breached the Ministerial Code by giving parliament statements that were ‘simply untrue’ about meetings between the two.
‘These are bombshell revelations in blog’