Jotters for ‘plotters’
Alex Neil calls for‘conspiracy’theory sackings
Shotts MSP Alex Neil says anyone involved in a “conspiracy” against Alex Salmond should be sacked.
Mr Neil – a friend of the former First Minister – claims if it was proven there was an organised plot to bring down the ex-SNP leader, all those involved “would be getting their jotters”.
His views come as senior figures within their party were split in their reaction to events at Holyrood last week.
Opposition parties have accused the Scottish Government of plunging the parliament into “a crisis of confidence”.
Salmond has accused several senior SNP figures of conspiring to end his career – a claim rejected by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who says there is “not a shred of evidence” to support his claims.
Tensions within the SNP have exploded in recent weeks as a committee of MSPs attempts to investigate how the Scottish Government botched its handling of historic complaints made against Salmond.
The former First Minister gave evidence to the Inquiry on Friday despite sections of his submission – which has been widely reported by the media – being redacted following an intervention by the Crown Office.
Mr Neil has called for all evidence the Inquiry has called for to be made public.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, he said: “The SNP leadership has got to try and put a lid on this, and I think the best way to do that is to release the legal advice, which was promised by the First Minister to the parliamentary committee when it was set-up.
“The Crown Office should lift the threat of criminal action against Mr Salmond and allow the information the committee has asked for to be presented to the committee and the public.
“And then, hopefully, once it’s all out in the open, people can make up their minds if there was a conspiracy. If there was, who was involved in it, and what action should be taken.
“Let’s see if we can draw a line under this before we get into an election campaign proper. I think it would be tragic for everybody if the election campaign was dominated by the this one issue.”
Asked if Ms Sturgeon would have to quit if Salmond was proven to be right, Mr Neil added: “If it was proven there was a conspiracy, everybody involved in the conspiracy, I think, would be getting their jotters.”