Former political heavyweight failed to deliver knockout blow

THE Alex Salmond who was first minister was very different to the man who finally gave evidence to the Holyrood inquiry.

As leader of the country, he was cocky and brimming with selfconfidence.

Perhaps it was his chest infection, but the Salmond on show yesterday was understated and looked like someone who had yet to come to terms with events of the last three years.

in that period, he was investigated by the Government over harassment allegations and later stood trial accused of sexual offences.

He came out on top on both occasions but his troubles have clearly wounded him.

in his written statement to the Salmond inquiry, he accused a long list of foes of being responsible for his problems.

He accused Sturgeon, who refused to intervene to stop the probe, of misleading parliament over the meetings they had during the Government investigation.

He blasted her Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, tore into Lord Advocate James Wolffe and claimed Sturgeon’s husband Peter murrell and others were part of a conspiracy to have him imprisoned.

Yesterday was his moment to back up these outlandish claims but the moment never arrived. No smoking gun was produced.

The most striking moment was when he failed to call for Sturgeon to resign.

Such a demand would have rattled cages but even he admitted there was no “documentary” evidence to warrant it.

The worst thing he said about her was that he had not forgiven her.

He instead called for a spate of resignations that would have the effect of taking out Sturgeon’s inner circle and leaving her exposed.

Top of the list was Evans, who may well pay for the government’s incompetence with her job.

Enough mSPs on the inquiry seem ready to blame her.

Salmond also called on Wolffe, whose crown office has infuriated the former first minister over its refusal to release information to the inquiry, to consider his position.

He also called for the heads of murrell, Sturgeon’s chief of staff Liz Lloyd and two senior SNP staffers for allegedly being part of a plot even he admitted he could not prove to the committee.

The apparent evidence proving these explosive claims is, according to Salmond, being blocked by the dastardly crown.

it was a weak claim that reeked of the sort of “deep state” conspiracy advanced by Trump’s supporters in the uS.

one of his most telling comments was overtly political: “The move to independence, which i have sought all my political life, and continue to seek, must be accompanied by institutions whose leadership is strong and robust and capable of protecting each and every citizen from arbitrary authority.”

roughly translated, this was Salmond saying that Sturgeon is damaged goods and cannot lead Scotland to independence.

He did not use his appearance yesterday to appeal to everyday voters.

He was instead communicating with the cranky wing of the pro-indy cause that genuinely believes he was set up by Sturgeon.

He was speaking to the folk who contributed to his online fundraiser and despise the “mainstream media”.

These are his people now and he has the capacity to be a hugely disruptive figure in the independence movement.

if he formed his own party, it would stand a decent chance of securing representation at Holyrood.

But the overwhelming impression from his evidence session was of a former politician whose best days are behind him.

Holyrood’s opposition parties hoped Salmond would deliver a knockout blow and change the dial of Scottish politics.

i suspect they will be disappointed.

The lasting impression was of a former politician whose best days are behind him