Leader is back and ready for battle.. as Tories fight to hold on to 2nd place

NICOLA Sturgeon looked like she was on the ropes last week but she is back on her feet and ready for an election fight.

Her Government’s unlawful sexual misconduct probe into Alex Salmond set in train two investigations that had the potential to topple her.

The first, set up as a Holyrood Inquiry, examined how her Government spectacularly mishandled the probe into the former First Minister.

Although this report is out today, some of the critical findings on Sturgeon were leaked last week.

MSPs concluded she had given an inaccurate account of whether she had offered to assist Salmond and claimed she misled Parliament.

This is a serious finding but Sturgeon’s allies believe the fallout can be managed.

The SNP’s retort is that the First Minister’s political enemies on the Committee have tried to damage her and the conclusions cannot not be taken seriously.

Within 24 hours, the First Minister had effectively trashed the Holyrood Inquiry and SNP members on the Committee had dismissed the findings.

The probe by Hamilton, which in contrast to the Committee inquiry has been leak free, is different.

Hamilton is a straight bat former prosecutor from Ireland with no political leanings or bias.

Sturgeon can survive a critical report by MSPs but not a devastating finding from an impartial investigator without a dog in the fight.

His conclusions were better for Sturgeon than she could have anticipated.

Four ethics breach allegations were made against her and she was exonerated on all fronts.

A vote of no confidence, tabled by the Tories, will take place today but it already looks like a pointless exercise.

The Scottish Greens have ruled out supporting the Tory plan, and Labour seem cool, so Sturgeon is safe.

Douglas Ross’ party revealed its hand before the Holyrood Inquiry had even finished its work – a ludicrously premature act denounced by MSPs who are no friends of the SNP leader.

Back in the day, the Scottish Tories talked about replacing the SNP in May and forming a government.

They now look like a party on the slide desperately trying to hold on to second place.

But while the First Minister will lead the SNP into the Holyrood election, high-profile resignations could still be triggered.

The Holyrood Inquiry will be unlikely to spare those people behind the Government’s disastrous Salmond investigation.

Sources say SNP members on the Committee have been critical of Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans and the civil service fiasco she presided over.

Sturgeon will continue in her post but don’t bet on the same being true of some of the officials around her.