Salmond accused of ‘vendetta’ with civil servant

ALEX SALMOND has been accused of mounting a “personal vendetta” against Scotland’s most senior civil servant after he called for Leslie Evans to quit her post as a result of the “unlawful” way the Scottish Government dealt with sexual misconduct complaints against the former First Minister.

Dave Penman, General Secretary of the FDA trade union which represents senior civil servants, claimed Mr Salmond had “continually targeted” the Scottish Government Permanent Secretary.

He hit out after the former SNP leader won a procedural case against the Scottish Government over its inquiry into sexual harassment allegations brought by two women – with Mr Salmond warning the ruling at the Court of Session in Edinburgh could leave the taxpayer with a £500,000 bill.

In a ruling on Tuesday, Judge Lord Pentland declared the Scottish Government’s actions were “unlawful” as they were “procedurally unfair and they were tainted with “apparent bias”. The person who investigated the complaints had some involvement with the two women prior to being appointed investigating officer, it emerged.

Mr Penman told BBC Radio Scotland yesterday it had “only come to light late in the day” and was “not necessarily” a resigning matter. Mr Salmond repeatedly called for Ms Evans to quit her post, claiming she was responsible for the “institutional failure” in the handling of the complaints.

But Mr Penman said: “I think what has been disappointing is the way Alex Salmond has continually targeted Leslie Evans from day one on this case, he’s called it the ‘Leslie Evans procedure’. Yesterday he made repeated assertions that she should resign.

“He has always portrayed this as a personal vendetta, even going as far as suggesting the Civil Service was acting without ministerial authority, so it was no surprise yesterday that Alex Salmond would therefore call for Leslie Evans’ resignation.”

Ms Evans took the decision to settle the court case “with my support”, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said, after it became clear the inquiry had been “flawed” in “one procedural respect”.