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Scotland’s leadership has “failed,” Alex Salmond said in a Holyrood investigation into the SNP government’s illegal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment made against him.
The former prime minister said Nicola sturgeon The administration had “acted illegally” in its handling of the accusations, “but somehow no one is to blame.”
Lord Salmond He told the Scottish Parliament committee that “this investigation is not about me” but about “unacceptable behavior” surrounding the handling of complaints against him.
Latest updates as proof of the former prime minister
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‘Scotland’s leadership has failed’
He also claimed that the committee in its investigation had been “systematically deprived of the evidence it had legitimately sought” and had been asked to do its job “with both hands tied behind its back and blindfolded.”
Salmond is testifying about the government’s failed investigation, which was found to be “tainted by apparent bias” after it emerged that the investigating officer had prior contact with two of the women who filed complaints.
He told MSPs: “I have no incentive or advantage to revisit the pain and shock of the past three years. For two years and six months, this has been a nightmare.
“I really want to move on, to turn the page, to resist speaking once more about a series of events that have been among the most hurtful that anyone can face.
“But the reason I’m here today is because we can’t turn that page, or move on, until the decision-making that is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed.”
He said the leadership failures surrounding the investigation into his conduct were “many and obvious.”
“The government acted illegally but somehow no one is to blame,” he added.
“Scotland has not failed, their leadership has failed.
“The importance of this research is that each and every one of us help correct this.”
Mr. Salmond continued: “I note that the prime minister claims that I have to prove a case, I don’t. That has already been done. There have been two court cases, two judges, one jury.”
“In this investigation, it is the Scottish government, a government that has already admitted to behaving illegally, that is being examined.”
He argued that “some consequences” should be the consequence of “unlawful conduct”.
“I think the leadership of these institutions has serious questions to answer,” he told the investigation.
“When you get to the stage where a government behaves illegally, I mean, this is not something that happens very often.
“I am on the political record, when governments have behaved illegally, of regarding matters as something huge and heinous that has happened. It is not a minor matter.
“Some consequences should stem from illegal conduct.”
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‘A litany of nonsense’: sturgeon in heated exchange
Salmond, who was acquitted of 13 counts of sexual assault in a criminal trial, received a payment of £ 512,250 after he successfully challenged the legality of the government’s investigation into the harassment allegations against him.
Sturgeon has previously insisted that “there is not a shred of evidence” that there was a conspiracy against Salmond and has denied lying to parliament.
The current prime minister is scheduled to appear before the committee to testify next Wednesday.
