Sturgeon ‘misled committee over Salmond claims’

NICOLA STURGEON misled a Scottish Parliament committee, an investigation into the Scottish Government’s unlawful handling of harassment allegations against Alex Salmond has concluded.

The findings are separate from those of James Hamilton, who reported on Monday that there had been no breach of the ministerial code by the First Minister over her role in the saga.

It comes as Ms Sturgeon survived a vote of no confidence in Holyrood yesterday.

The Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints found a “fundamental contradiction” in her evidence on whether she agreed to intervene in a Scottish Government investigation into complaints by two women against Mr Salmond.

It said that, in a meeting at her Glasgow home on April 2 2018, Ms Sturgeon “did in fact leave Mr Salmond with the impression that she would, if necessary, intervene”.

“Her written evidence is therefore an inaccurate account of what happened, and she has misled the committee on this matter,” the report added.

The committee found this is a potential breach of the ministerial code but added that Mr Hamilton’s

report was the “most appropriate place” to address the question of whether Ms Sturgeon had breached it.

The four SNP committee members did not agree with the finding that she misled the committee, which was among the conclusions leaked last week.

The report states the committee “find it hard to believe” Ms Sturgeon had “no knowledge of any concerns about inappropriate behaviour on the part of Mr Salmond prior to November 2017”.

It continues: “If she did have such knowledge, then she should have acted upon it. If she did have such knowledge, then she has misled the committee.”

The committee then said it was “concerned” that Ms Sturgeon did not disclose details of her meeting with Mr Salmond to the Scottish Government’s most senior civil servant, Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, until June 6 – more than two months after the meeting at the First Minister’s home.

A majority of the committee members believe she should have told Ms Evans “at the earliest opportunity” and immediately stopped contact with Mr Salmond, instead of continuing to meet him.