Alex Salmond’s accusers may be asked to give evidence to MSPS
M S Ps investigating the botched handling of complaints against Alex Salmond are ready to seek evidence from women who made allegations of sexual misconduct against the former first minister.
Members of the committee investigating how the Scottish Government dealt with the initial complaints – a process successfully challenged by Mr Salmond, leading to a £ 500,000 payout from taxpayers – yesterday said they would like to hear from his accusers. If asked, their evidence would be heard in private by Holyrood’s Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints.
Liberal Democrat MSP A l e x Co l e - Ha m i l t o n , a member of the committee, said: “Above everything else, the government procedure failed the people it was designed to serve. It’s vital the committee hear from them, so we can understand the gravity of that failure.”
Conservative MSP and fellow committee member Murdo Fraser said: “It’s vital that this inquiry gives a voice to everyone who the SNP government let down by their clear failures
A candlelit vigil was held yesterday for an asylum seeker after her sudden death.
A minute’s silence was followed by prayers for Mercy Baguma at the event in a park near where she lived. Her partner Eric Nnanna attended with the couple’s 16-month-old son Adriel, who wore a shirt with the message In Loving Memory of Beloved Mama.
A group of 100 gathered for the half-hour ceremony at the boating pond in Elder Park in Glasgow’s Govan. Mercy’s friend Veronica Bonad said: “Mercy was such a beautiful soul and brought such energy to people. They say People Make Glasgow. Well, Glasgow made Mercy and we thank people so much for their thoughts since she died.”
Another friend, Elizabeth Ndungu, said: “We love you so much, Mercy. Your son is here today and we promise he is in good hands. The community hold you in such high regard and we are thinking of you.” of process.” Scotland’s most senior civil servant, Leslie Evans, told MSPS last week that 10 people raised concerns after the creation of a new harassment policy.
In a subsequent High Court trial in March, Mr Salmond was cleared of sexually assaulting nine women during his time as Scotland’s first minister.
Giving evidence to the inquiry on Tuesday, Ms Evans denied being “at war” with Mr Salmond.
After the Scottish Government lost a legal challenge brought by Mr Salmond ove r its handling of harassment allegations, the permanent secretary sent a text saying: “We may have lost the battle but we will win the war.” She insisted she had not been “referring to any individual” and her text was referring to her ambition of creating a more equal workplace.
Sir Peter Ho u s d e n , who was the permanent secretary during former SNP leader Mr Salmond’s time as first minister, will appear before the inquiry on Tuesday.
In written evidence, he said he had taken action “where there were individual ministers whose behaviour was a cause for concern” in a “number of settings”.
The Scottish Government said: “Who the committee decides to call to give evidence is not a matter for the Scottish Government but for the committee itself.”
SNP MP Chris Stephens, also among those who attended, said: “We see today a respectful vigil from Mercy’s family and friends and our hearts go out to all of them. I am quite clear that the lack of support for asylum seekers in this country has got to end, and Glasgow MPS will continue to campaign on behalf of our constituents who are seeking refuge in this country.”
Mercy, 34, was found dead in her flat in on August 22 after friends had not heard from her for several days. Her son was in the flat when his mother passed away.
The family says they received the post-mortem report but it did not give further details of how Mercy died. She will be buried at her ancestral home in the Bugiri district in eastern Uganda.
Mercy’s sister Hajara Nakendo told The Sunday Post yesterday: “The confirmation I have now is that my sister’s remains will arrive in Kampala on Sunday and we shall bury her on Monday.”