-
Alex Salmond demands clarification of rules before he faces MSPs

Committee accused of taking ‘absurd position’ over former first minister’s submission to its investigation
Alex Salmond has said he will not appear before MSPs on Tuesday morning after strongly criticising their investigation into a botched Scottish government inquiry into sexual harassment claims against him.
The former first minister’s lawyers accused the Holyrood committee of taking an “absurd position” over Salmond’s submission to its investigation and setting “offensive” parameters on what he can say.
Salmond’s lawyer, David McKie, said he would give evidence to the committee by 16 February but only if he was given written clarification on what he would be allowed to discuss without breaching legal restrictions imposed by the courts and Holyrood’s lawyers on his evidence.
Salmond is angry that the Scottish parliament’s lawyers have ruled that his submission cannot be published or used by the committee because it risks breaching court orders issued when Salmond was on trial for 14 alleged offences against 10 women. He was acquitted of every charge.
The parliament’s lawyers have said the former Scottish National party leader can refer to his submission in oral evidence, which they admit has been published, nearly in full, by the Spectator.
Committee members fear their investigation is on the brink of collapse because of the continued impasse with Salmond.
In a letter sent on Sunday to the committee, McKie wrote: “Asking a witness to accept the constraints of speaking only to evidence selected by you on the undisclosed advice and direction of unidentified others is not acceptable in any forum and is, in our client’s view, particularly offensive when the remit he seeks to address has been set for you by parliament and addresses the unlawful actions of an elected government and the needless squandering of hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money.”
“
The committee met in private on Monday morning to consider Salmond’s new letter, after finishing a public evidence session with Peter Murrell, the SNP chief executive and Nicola Sturgeon’s husband.
Some committee members privately share Salmond’s frustration and are critical of the parliament’s legal advice.
A Holyrood spokesperson defended parliament’s stance and insisted Salmond had received repeated reassurances about his freedom to state to his case. The committee had already published two submissions from Salmond and “many, many pages of records and documents from him”, the spokesperson said.
“Mr Salmond had been contacted to make it clear that he can speak freely in committee about all of his contact with Nicola Sturgeon and his views on her actions,” they said. “He was given the opportunity to make a lengthy opening statement on Tuesday and would have had four hours to answer questions in public. He was also invited to send more written evidence for publication after the meeting.”
source: Severin Carrell
Levant
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!