Key players in the sensational legal drama
CHIEF ADVISER TO STURGEON
PERMANENT Secretary Leslie Evans is the principal adviser to the First Minister and Secretary of the Scottish Cabinet.
She is responsible for both the Scottish Government’s financial propriety and for a team of 5,000 civil servants.
In 2015, the 59-year-old became the first woman to be appointed to the role, having previously worked for local authorities and within the Scottish Government.
Last November she launched a review into the Government’s procedures for handling workplace complaints, a move backed by Miss Sturgeon.
The Permanent Secretary, who studied at the University of Liverpool, is married with one son.
PROSECUTION SERVICE BOSS
AS chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland, James Wolffe, QC, will have overall responsibility for any potential criminal proceedings against Mr Salmond.
A former Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, the 55-year-old took up the post after the First Minister recommended his appointment in 2016.
But concerns were raised this year that his role has become politicised after it emerged he attended 59 sessions of Miss Sturgeon’s Cabinet in two years. In 2007, Mr Salmond said it was ‘unnecessary and inappropriate’ for the Lord Advocate to be involved in the ‘political operations’ of government or sit at the Cabinet table.
NATION’S NEW CHIEF OF POLICE
AS Police Scotland’s new Chief Constable, Iain Livingstone faces the prospect of presiding over the investigation into the claims against Mr Salmond.
The 51-year-old had been acting chief for the force since autumn, standing in when former Chief Constable Phil Gormley was suspended amid bullying allegations which he denied.
Mr Livingstone will officially take up his new post on Monday.
His annual salary for the four-year fixed term post is £216,549.
The new police chief was a solicitor before joining the police in 1992, serving with Lothian and Borders prior to the formation of Police Scotland in 2013.
GOVERNMENT HEAD OF HR
DIRECTOR of People Nicola Richards is responsible for human resources within the Scottish Government.
The civil servant is one of the main points of contact for any staff member wishing to raise a complaint against a current or former minister.
She considers the merits of a complaint, appoints an officer to investigate and provides support to the complainant.
Appointed to the role in 2016, she was previously the deputy director of the People Development division within the Government.
The former academic has worked for the Scottish Government since 2000.
POWER BEHIND SNP THRONE
PETER Murrell is one of the most powerful SNP figures outside of the Holyrood and Westminster parliaments.
Only his wife, Nicola Sturgeon, and Deputy First Minister John Swinney hold more sway within the SNP.
As the party chief executive during its 11 years in power at Holyrood, Mr Murrell, 53, is in charge of the SNP’s Edinburgh headquarters and the day-to-day running of the party.
He is now facing pressure to suspend Mr Salmond from the party, having imposed this sanction upon Mark McDonald last year when allegations of inappropriate behaviour were raised against the Aberdeen Donside MSP.
FEMALE COMPLAINERS
UNDER guidance issued by the Scottish Government, staff members who want to raise complaints about current or former ministers are encouraged to do so – either via their managers, trade union representatives or direct to the human resources department.
The guidance states that at all times, the staff member is free to make a complaint directly to the police.
The Scottish Government will co-operate fully with any police investigation or criminal proceedings but may continue to investigate the complaint without awaiting the outcome of criminal proceedings, according to the guidance.