Claim ‘may be end for Sturgeon’
NICOLA STURGEON’S career could be doomed following accusations she misled the Scottish parliament and breached the ministerial code, a political opponent says.
The rupture in the once-close relationship between ex-first Minister Alex Salmond and his successor has worsened in the wake of his “explosive” claim that she made “simply untrue” statements.
Mr Salmond, who was cleared of sexual assault charges last March, accuses his former SNP ally of breaching the ministerial code in his submission to an inquiry into her conduct.
David Mundell, the former Secretary of State for Scotland, said that Ms Sturgeon’s position could become “untenable”.
He said: “The one fact is they can’t both be telling the truth.
“The person who is currently First Minister of Scotland and who is arguing for another independence referendum, or the person who was First Minister and fronted an independence referendum – one of those people is not telling the truth.
“If these allegations are
true,
Nicola Sturgeon’s position tenable.”
Mr Salmond has claimed that Ms Sturgeon allowed the Scottish Government to contest a civil court case against him despite having had legal advice that it was likely to fail. There is also conflict over when M Ms Sturgeon first learn learnt about the alle allegations against M Mr Salmond.
She told an inquiry that she first heard of them at a meeting with Mr Salmond at her home.
But it has since em emerged that she me met his former chief of staff in the days bef before. Ms Sturgeon says she had forgotten about that meeting.
Mr Salmond states that the Scottish Parliament has been “repeatedly misled on a number of occasions about the nature of the meeting [at her home]”.
A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said: “The First Minister entirely rejects Mr Salmond’s claims about the ministerial code.”
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