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Nicola Sturgeon read a message exchange with Alex Salmond live on Sky News in an attempt to show that he did not “cover up” serious allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
Salmond was acquitted in court earlier this year of 13 counts of sexual assault.
The Scottish prime minister has denied hiding evidence from an investigation examining the government’s handling of an investigation into her predecessor’s behavior.
She told Sky News that she understood it was best for Lord Salmond so that people would think that “there was a great conspiracy against him.”
And in comments that will turn up the heat in an already tense fight with her 30-year-old friend and mentor, Mrs. Sturgeon He said the problem was “old”.
He explained that it was a case of “a man accused of misconduct against a woman” with a woman who later “ends up answering for them.”
In response, a source close to Mr. Salmond, who was acquitted of 13 counts of sexual assault, attempted rape and indecent exposure at Edinburgh High Court in March 2020 – he has told Sky News that he is not mad at her, but “in awe of the ever-shifting sands of her history.”
Alex Salmond was acquitted of sexual assault charges earlier this year.
The Scottish Parliament is conducting an investigation into the government’s handling of the complaints against Salmond, who was later awarded £ 500,000 in legal costs after the government admitted in court that the investigation had not been carried out. carried out correctly.
When asked at Sophy Ridge on Sunday about a report that Salmond’s allies claimed that Sturgeon was withholding some messages from the evidence, he said he had “nothing to hide.”
She said she messaged him on November 5 (2017 is understood) in response to a Sky News inquiry about his behavior, asking, “Hi, when can you speak this morning?”
He replied “10 am”, he continued.
A Scottish Parliament investigation is underway
Sturgeon said he followed it up with a “any development?” message later and then another asking “are you free for a word?” the next day.
“So I’m setting up a conversation that I’ve told the parliamentary inquiry about, it’s not a big revelation,” he told Sky News.
She added: “I can understand why people in my party might want an alternative explanation for all this … At every stage I have tried to do the right thing and not cover it up.
“I think maybe the reasons he’s mad at me, and he’s clearly mad at me, is that I didn’t cover it up. I didn’t collude with him to make these accusations go away.
“Maybe that’s why he is as upset as he seems.”
And Ms Sturgeon added: “From what I have read on the committee’s website, one person who has not yet submitted evidence for the investigation is Salmond himself. Yes, the Scottish government has, so we will continue. cooperating and doing what the committee asks us to do. “
Escalating the dispute, Mr. Salmond responded: “I have not made any public comment since I was acquitted of all charges in the High Court in March and I have made it clear that the first time I will comment is in front of the Parliamentary Committee.”
“This committee was established to investigate the conduct of the Prime Minister, her special advisers and public officials after her government’s behavior was found to be ‘illegal’, ‘unfair’ and ‘tainted by apparent biases’ and at enormous cost for the public purse. “
He previously called the legal action against him a “nightmare” and thanked his friends and family for “being by my side for the past two years.” Salmond has always denied any form of misconduct.
Continuing with the coup, the source close to Mr. Salmond said: “Her claims of an attempted ‘collusion’ are not only false, but are not supported by written evidence and directly contradicted by her own previous parliamentary statements. She claims not having ‘nothing to hide.’ That’s not the impression you’re making. “
The source went on to say that “it doesn’t make much sense for the Prime Minister to commit to fully supporting and cooperating with a committee, whose mission is to consider and report on her actions and those of her government, only for her to complain about the inevitable scrutiny that comes with it ”.
And they added: “The Prime Minister claims to be fully focused on a health pandemic where people are still dying but he is lashing out on television about issues that must be dealt with properly in front of the Parliamentary Commission established for the same purpose.”
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