Nicola Sturgeon to find out TODAY if report finds she broke ministerial code over Salmond case that could end career
NICOLA Sturgeon is set to find out today if a report has ruled she broke the ministerial code over Alex Salmond and it could end her career.
A top QC is expected to rule whether the First Minister broke the ministerial code when she previously claimed to have had no knowledge of alleged complaints against Alex Salmond.
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She was pictured leaving home this morning as she insisted she’ll “continue leading Scotland through the pandemic” ahead of James Hamilton’s crucial report.
But a defiant Ms Sturgeon insisted she has no plans to step down from her role – after hitting back at rivals last week.
Leaving home, the First Minister told journalists: “I’m going to do what I’ve done for every day for the past year – lead the country through a pandemic.”
Mr Hamilton’s report comes after MSPs ruled the First Minister had misled a Holyrood committee about a meeting with Mr Salmond at her home.
She has faced renewed calls to quit as the Scottish Tories revealed they plan to hold a no confidence vote on Wednesday.
But Ms Sturgeon accused inquiry committee members of a “partisan leak” as she stood by her own evidence.
Mr Hamilton, Ireland’s former director of public prosecutions, is expected to submit the findings of his independent investigation today.
He has been examining whether Ms Sturgeon broke the ministerial code of conduct by:
- Misleading parliament over when she found out about her government’s investigation into Mr Salmond.
- Misleading parliament by claiming she did not offer to intervene in her government’s investigation.
- Failing to record her meetings with Mr Salmond.
He is also examining whether the Scottish government allegedly leaked the name of a complainer against Mr Salmond and whether public money was wasted by ignoring legal advice that Mr Salmond would win a judicial review.
He won a judicial review in January 2019 after a judge found that the civil service investigation against him was “tainted by bias” and was awarded £512,250 in legal costs.
If Mr Hamilton finds Ms Sturgeon broke the ministerial code by knowingly misleading parliament, she could be forced to resign.
However, if he decides she did her best in a difficult situation, she would essentially be cleared.
UNDER PRESSURE
Yesterday SNP health chief Jeane Freeman also hit back at claims against the First Minister – and said she’s “led by example”.
On whether her boss should resign, Ms Freeman said: “We don’t have either of those two confirmed reports yet, so we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves.
“The most important one is actually the independent inquiry into whether the First Minister breached the ministerial code, that she referred herself to in January 2019.
“We expect that report this week and that is the one where James Hamilton the QC has looked at all of these matters and he will produce his conclusion.
“That’s the one that is genuinely independent and objective and we will see what that report says and the First Minister will take the necessary decisions after that.”
Scottish Tory Holyrood chief Ruth Davidson said: “If Nicola Sturgeon has a shred of integrity, she should be considering her position. She has every opportunity to do the right thing and resign.
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“No First Minister is above the fundamental principles of honesty and trust.
“There is no question that Nicola Sturgeon has misled Parliament and broken the promises she made to tell the truth.
“The SNP’s erratic outburst today against the committee shows the panicked spiral they are now in.”
Earlier this month, Ms Sturgeon gave evidence to the parliamentary inquiry examining the Scottish Government’s unlawful investigation into harassment complaints made against Mr Salmond.
A key problem for Sturgeon has been a previous written submission in which she insisted she had not offered to intervene in the probe.
But Mr Salmond said she had made such an offer during a meeting at her house on April 2, 2018.
His account was corroborated by his lawyer Duncan Hamilton, who was present and claims she said: “If it comes to it, I will intervene.”
Ms Sturgeon says she was “trying to let a long standing friend and colleague down gently.”
Another issue for Ms Sturgeon is that she has repeatedly insisted she did not know about the allegations facing Mr Salmond until April 2, 2018 when he visited her home.
But his former chief of staff met her in her parliamentary office on March 29 to discuss the claims and arrange the April 2 summit.
Ms Sturgeon has said she “forgot” about the meeting.
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