Holyrood inquiry into Salmond starts amid bias row
THE Holyrood inquiry into the botched sexual misconduct probe into Alex Salmond will meet for the first time today amid continued controversy over possible SNP bias.
The special committee will convene and then swiftly suspend itself to avoid cutting across the criminal case against Mr Salmond.
However the brief session is still expected to be contentious because the SNP has insisted on its right to take up the convenership, despite opposition calls for it to step aside.
Labour says there is a risk that could lead to a perception of bias and undermine public confidence.
Ministers have nominated former SNP minister Linda Fabiani, now a deputy presiding officer, as convener.
The three other SNP MSPS on the committee are also former ministers.
The Tories, who have the deputy convenorship, have two MSPS, while Labour, the Libdems and Greens have one each; the gender balance is six female MSPS and three male.
The inquiry will examine the Government’s in-house investigation last year of two sexual misconduct complaints against Mr Salmond.
The former first minister successfully challenged the process, forcing ministers to admit the lead investigating official had been in prior contact with the complainers.
That rendered the process unfair, unlawful and “tainted by apparent bias”, and left taxpayers with a £500,000 legal bill after Mr Salmond won a judicial review in court.
The committee will also look at Nicola Sturgeon’s secret meetings and calls with Mr Salmond during the probe, which her critics say were a breach of the ministerial code.
The committee will mothball itself to avoid prejudicing the separate criminal proceedings against Mr Salmond, who last month appeared in court charged with two counts of attempted rape, nine of sexual assault, two of indecent assault and one breach of the peace.
He strongly denies any criminality. Labour inquiry member Jackie Baillie said: “This committee has a vital job to do in terms of rebuilding public trust.
“It would be a shame to start with a perception of partiality because the convener comes from the same party as the government, notwithstanding the personal integrity of the individual concerned.”