SALMOND CLEARED – MORE REPORTS
Sturgeon in firing line as civil war erupts over how party handled sex allegations
ALEX Salmond’s allies yesterday demanded a full inquiry into the SNP’s handling of the sex assault allegations made against him.
Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell were among those in the firing line as splits within the party deepened following Mr Salmond’s acquittal.
A series of prominent SNP politicians and activists demanded further action, as well as ‘resignations’ from senior officials.
Mr Murrell is also facing questions about the party’s role in the internal probe.
It reignited a civil war within the party, which has seen deep splits between those who support Mr Salmond and those who back Miss Sturgeon.
The Scottish Conservatives said this remains a ‘national political scandal with profound questions of integrity for the First Minister and her SNP government’.
But a Holyrood inquiry into the way complaints were handled is likely to be delayed until much later in the year, due to the current focus on the coronavirus crisis.
Minutes after the verdict East Lothian MP Kenny MacAskill said: ‘Delighted for Alex Salmond. Some resignations now required.’
Fellow Nationalist Joanna Cherry said that ‘serious questions now arise about the background to these cases, especially given the considerable sums of public money which have been expended’. In a statement, she said: ‘Some of the evidence that has come to
‘Question marks over complaint handling’
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 and I am sorry to say some of the evidence also raises serious question marks over how these complaints were handled by the SNP.
‘There should also be an independent inquiry into how the SNP dealt with these allegations and an inquiry into our internal complaints procedure.’
She added: ‘I’m sure the complaints manager and chief executive (Peter Murrell) would welcome the opportunity of an independent review to assist them in developing a proper system for the management of complaints and the support of party volunteers, staff and elected members.’
It is understood Mr Salmond’s allies believe Miss Sturgeon and Mr Murrell must answer questions about how the party dealt with allegations from a woman who claimed he had attempted to rape her.
The woman told the jury she had contacted SNP compliance officer Ian McCann in 2017. In a text message responding to the woman, the compliance officer said: ‘I appreciate how difficult that must have been. I will sit on that and hopefully never have to deploy it.’
A source said: ‘There is chatter in the SNP groups about how abhorrent it is that someone says they have got information, potentially false allegations, which the party is going to “sit on” and use for political damage if they need it.
‘We know his supervisor is the chief executive – what did he know? The question people will be asking is what sort of ship is Peter Murrell running if he knew of allegations and was happy to sit on them, or if he didn’t know this from a senior official then why not?’
Another party source said: ‘There was a lot of pressure put on people before this case, people in the party were being called and targeted by others asking if they had any information on Alex, or if they would come forward. It was people who were in the party, or used to be, or who had worked with Alex in the past. Alex was facing the rest of his life, or a large part of it, in prison if he had been found guilty – he is not going to take this sitting down.
‘He was right, this isn’t the right time for it, people are getting very ill and we need to be putting all our efforts into stopping the virus. But the First Minister has serious questions to answer.’
Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil suggested Mr Salmond should return to frontline politics. He said: ‘Glad that Alex Salmond found not guilty. A man with much more to contribute to Scotland’s cause.’
Chris McEleny, SNP group leader on Inverclyde Council, said: ‘From an internal party position, the business convener of the SNP, Kirsten Oswald MP, must now take immediate action in suspending staff members that the trial heard held information about false sexual assault allegations – rejected by the jury – that were to be used if needed for political damage.’
Scottish Conservative leader
Jackson Carlaw said there are ‘very serious questions’ facing the SNP, the Scottish Government and Miss Sturgeon.
He added: ‘This remains a national political scandal with profound questions of integrity for the First Minister and her SNP government.’
Miss Sturgeon said: ‘The court has reached a verdict and that must be respected. I am a strong believer in a robust, independent judicial process where complaints of this nature are thoroughly investigated, due process takes its course and a court reaches a decision.
‘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.’
In an interview with BBC Scotland, she said she ‘wasn’t aware’ of a rule, described during the trial, that female staff members should not be left alone with him at night.
‘This remains a political scandal’