Outcry as Swinney blocks evidence from witnesses to Salmond inquiry
Scotland’s Deputy First Minister has been accused of “unacceptable” obstruction of the Alex Salmond inquiry after refusing to allow two Government witnesses to give evidence.
John Swinney has blocked two witnesses from appearing next week before the Holyrood committee probing the SNP Government’s botched investigation of sexual harassment allegations against the former First Minister, provoking further ire from MSPS.
The committee had wanted to question Judith Mackinnon, the investigating officer whose prior contact with two of Mr Salmond’s accusers caused the Government investigation to be ruled “unlawful” and “tainted with apparent bias”.
The committee had al s o asked the Government’s workforce director, Gillian Russell, to give evidence on Tuesday.
But Mr Swinney claims it could create an “unacceptable risk” of potential identification of complainers in the court case against Mr Salmond.
Mr Salmond was acquitted of 13 charges at the High Court in Edinburgh in March.
The court case followed a legal battle in which he was awarded more than £ 500,000 when t he Court of S ession ruled that a Scottish Government investigation into his conduct was unlawful.
Mr Swinney said the Scottish Government is still attempting to agree with Mr Salmond’s lawyers what evidence can be released, so cannot provide “uncontested do c uments, a timeline and a statement” about the Government’s handling of the complaints.
In reply to Mr Swinney, committee convener Linda Fabiani, an SNP MSP, said: “I find it unacceptable that you are now writing to the committee to say that the Scottish Government does not agree to two of its civil servants giving evidence to the committee at its meeting next Tuesday because the Scottish Government has not produced a timeline and statement to accompany documentation.”
Scottish Labour deputy lead
er Jackie Baillie said: “This is nothing short of an outrage. The secrecy and obfuscation of the Scottish Government knows no bounds.
“The worst of this latest episode is that John Swinney is blaming the lack of written evidence for the non- appearance of these witnesses, when he is the one that is withholding the evidence. You really couldn’t make it up."