STURGEON BATTLES TO SAVE HER SKIN
First Minister under pressure after meetings with Salmond over sexual misconduct claims
NICOLA Sturgeon was last night fighting to save her job after bomb- shell revelations about her secret meetings with Alex Salmond.
The First Minister has been urged to refer herself for official investigation into whether she broke strict Scottish Government rules by failing to report details of a series of meetings with her predecessor.
During these meetings, they discussed sexual misconduct allegations against Mr Salmond. Opponents have formally demanded Miss Sturgeon reports herself to the independent advisers responsible for investigating possible breaches of the ministerial code of conduct. It states that ministers must ‘arrange for the basic facts’ of meetings concerning Government business to be recorded.
The First Minister admitted the content of the sexual misconduct investigation, which came after complaints by two civil servants, was discussed at a meeting with Mr Salmond at her home.
The meeting was organised by a senior Government employee who was also present at the talks – but
claimed they related to party business. Miss Sturgeon also disclosed that she only reported her knowledge of the case to Scotland’s most senior civil servant, Permanent Secretary Leslie evans, two months later.
This was shortly before the second in a series of meetings with Mr Salmond, when she told her that he may be about to take legal action against the Government.
relations between the First Minister and Mr Salmond now appear to have plummeted further, as he told supporters that some people are ‘clearly very anxious to remove me now as a political threat’.
The developments came days after Miss Sturgeon and Mrs evans were forced to apologise after the Government probe into sex claims against Mr Salmond was branded ‘unlawful’ at the Court of Session.
if found guilty of breaking the code she herself signs off, Miss Sturgeon would be under severe pressure to resign.
As she reflected last night on whether to refer herself for investigation, a Scottish Labour source said: ‘The First Minister stalling on this decision hardly portrays confidence in her actions. it would be incredibly serious for the First Minister to have broken the rules that she herself wrote, but her actions have appeared reckless. her Government botched the investigation and this has very serious implications for public trust and faith in the system.’
The First Minister yesterday admitted that the first of five discussions with Mr Salmond took place in her home in April 2018 and was arranged by her chief of staff Liz Lloyd, a Scottish Government employee. Miss Lloyd was also present. in addition, Mr Salmond was represented.
During that meeting, Mr Salmond revealed for the first time he was under investigation by the Scottish Government over sexual misconduct dating back to his time as First Minister and was considering legal action.
Despite this, Miss Sturgeon did not record basic facts of the meeting or include it in her monthly list of engagements. The ministerial
‘Her actions have appeared reckless’
code of conduct says private offices should ensure all ‘basic facts’ of meetings with people and organisations about Government business should be recorded and included on a monthly list of ministerial engagements.
in a letter to Miss Sturgeon, Scottish Labour leader richard Leonard said: ‘even if you continue to refuse to accept you have breached the letter of the ministerial code, it is self-evident you have breached its spirit. i believe you must now refer yourself to the independent advisers.
‘As the First Minister of the Scottish Government, you have a special responsibility to not only repair the damage this case has already done, but also to restore the trust and confidence in public service and public office that is central to our democracy.’
Miss Sturgeon yesterday said she ‘conducted myself appropriately and in line with all the rules’. On Mr Leonard’s request for a probe, she said: ‘i will consider any request that is made, including that one.’
She also said she would ensure all parts of the Scottish Government co-operate with any wider parliamentary inquiry.
Scottish Tory interim leader Jackson Carlaw said: ‘This astonishing admission from the First Minister drives a coach and horses through her assertion earlier this week that she met Alex Salmond in purely a party capacity.
‘if that was the case, what on earth was her number one adviser as First Minister doing there? The First Minister has shown an astounding lapse in judgment on more than one occasion.’
Miss Sturgeon later said: ‘i regret this whole situation. i reflect on all of these things very deeply but i was absolutely clear it would not have been appropriate for me to intervene in this investigation and i did not intervene in the investigation.
‘These were meetings in my capacity as party leader. The key thing is i did not intervene to seek to influence this investigation. That is the important point of principle that i think everyone has a right to know.
‘People will reach different conclusions on the judgment, i accept that, but i made the judgments i made and all along it was my responsibility to make sure i acted appropriately.’
She claimed her husband, SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, was never informed.
her spokesman also later confirmed that no information was provided to anyone in the SNP.
Following yesterday’s First Minister’s Questions, a spokesman for Mr Salmond said: ‘Our advice to the Government is that when they are in a hole they should try to stop digging.’
Last night, a Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The First Minister has said today that she would consider any request made to make a referral to the panel of advisers on the ministerial code and the Government would, as always, co-operate with any parliamentary inquiry.
‘in relation to this and in relation to any requests for documents, the Scottish Government will take account of legal obligations in determining the most appropriate course of action.’
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