The best of enemies?
Salmond accuses his former deputy Sturgeon of ‘untrue’ evidence in sex-claim probe
ALEX Salmond has accused Nicola Sturgeon of providing a ‘simply untrue’ testimony to the inquiry into sexual assault claims which were made against him.
In a blistering personal attack in his submission to the inquiry, the former Scottish first minister alleged that Miss Sturgeon, his former friend and deputy, had misled the Scottish parliament and broken ministerial code over her handling of the case.
If proven correct, the allegations could end Miss Sturgeon’s political career. Mr Salmond, 65, said breaches include failing to inform the civil service in good time of her meetings
‘False conspiracy theories’
with him, and allowing the Scottish government to contest a civil court case against him despite being advised it was likely to collapse.
Allegations around Mr Salmond’s conduct surfaced in 2018 after two female staff members made formal complaints against him – prompting an internal inquiry. He has always denied any wrongdoing.
But by January 2019, he was awarded £512,000 in costs after the Scottish government admitted its investigation had been unlawful, unfair and tainted by apparent bias.
After the judgement, Miss Sturgeon told MSPs that she became aware of the investigation when Mr Salmond told her at a meeting in her Glasgow home on April 2, 2018.
It later emerged that she met Geoff Aberdein, Mr Salmond’s former chief of staff, days earlier in her office on March 29, 2018. In her evidence to the inquiry, Miss Sturgeon claimed to have forgotten the meeting.
She had repeatedly maintained that the April 2 meeting was in her capacity as leader of the SNP because she thought Mr Salmond was planning to quit the party.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said last night: ‘The First Minister and the Permanent
Secretary stand by what has been said to Parliament and in written evidence to the committee.’
In a submission to the inquiry, seen by The Times, Mr Salmond said the meeting had been arranged to discuss the sexual misconduct allegations. He said any other suggestion was ‘simply untrue’.
He said: ‘The pre-arranged meeting of March 29, 2018 was “forgotten” about because acknowledging it would have rendered ridiculous the claim that it had been believed that the meeting on April 2 was on SNP party business and held at her private residence.’
He added that any claim the meeting was about anything other than the complaints was ‘wholly false’.
A minister found to have knowingly misled Holyrood would be expected to offer their resignation. Miss Sturgeon’s team ‘entirely rejected’ Mr Salmond’s claims last night, accusing him of ‘ spinning false conspiracy theories’.