Salmond cleared... now SNP set to face questions
Former first minister acquitted of all sexual assault charges
THE Scottish Government and SNP are facing “questions of integrity” following the acquittal of Alex Salmond on 13 sexual offence charges against nine women.
The former First Minister was found not guilty of one attempted rape and 11 other sexual assault charges and not proven of one charge of intent to rape.
After a trial lasting two weeks, during which Mr Salmond denied all the accusations, the jury acquitted him on all charges by majority verdict.
The women included a SNP politician, a SNP party worker and current and former Scottish government staff.
The Crown Office said a court order remains in place preventing the publication of the names and identity, and any information likely to disclose the identity, of the complainers.
Mr Salmond had said the accusations made against him were “deliberate fabrications for a political purpose”.
Following the verdicts, Mr Salmond said there was evidence he would have liked to have been heard.
Outside the High Court in Edinburgh, he said: “There is certain evidence that I would have liked to have seen led in this trial but for a variety of reasons we were not able to do so.
“Those facts will see the light but it won’t be this day.”
He said the country was dealing with a bigger issue with the coronavirus pandemic.
And both allies and opponents of Mr Salmond also turned their attention to the SNP and Scottish Government.
Kenny MacAskill, a Justice secretary under Mr Salmond and now a SNP MP, said he was “delighted for Alex Salmond and that some resignations were now required”.
Joanna Cherry MP said Mr Salmond should be readmitted to the SNP and questioned how the party dealt with the complaints.
She said: “Some of the evidence that has come to light both in the judicial review and at this trial raise very serious questions over the process that was employed within the Scottish Government to investigate the alleged complaints against Mr Salmond.
“I am sorry to say some of the evidence also raises serious question marks over how these complaints were handled by the SNP.”
The Conservatives also turned their attention to the First Minister, but said it can wait while Ms Sturgeon and the Government deals with the coronavirus pandemic. Jackson Carlaw, Scottish Tory leader. said there were “profound questions of integrity” for Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government. He said: “The court case may be over, but for them this is just the beginning. “Clearly, there is still a lack of information which needs to be fully interrogated, and the Scottish Parliament inquiry will provide that opportunity.”
Pauline McNeill, Labour equalities spokeswoman, said: “The verdict of this trial does not take away from the serious concerns about the Scottish Government’s handling of this.
“We would expect questions about this to be fully explored during parliamentary scrutiny.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made a statement following the verdicts at the trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
She said: “The court has reached a verdict and that must be respected.
“I am a strong believer in a vigorous, robust, independent judicial process where complaints of this nature, if they come forward, are properly and thoroughly investigated, due process takes its course and a court reaches a decision, and that’s what has happened today.
“I have no doubt that there will be further discussion around this issue in due course, in the fullness of time – and I will welcome that. But that time is not now.
“This country faces a crisis right now bigger than anything we have faced before and as First Minister my duty to the public is to do everything I can to focus 100 per cent on steering us through that crisis, and that is what I intend to do.”