SINCE the day a group of Orkney residents decided to take their MP to court, The National has been trying to find the answer to a simple question – who is paying Alistair Carmichael’s legal fees as he bids to keep his Westminster seat?
We found part of the answer yesterday – a crowdfunding campaign kicked off by the Aberdeen lawyer who ran Christine Jardine’s election campaign against Alex Salmond in Gordon.
Sheila Ritchie – a director and commercial, corporate and immigration law specialist at the Grant Smith Law Practice in Aberdeen – tweeted on Tuesday: “Some of you may think @carmichaelmp’s being unfairly dealt with. If so please help.”
She then gives a link to a crowdfunding website where a picture of a smiling Carmichael sits under the heading: “Help Alistair and stop the SNP.”
On the site Ritchie writes: “Everyone in the Northern Isles knows someone who Alistair has helped, and he has fought so hard for his constituents.
“During the election he made a mistake, which the SNP has blown out of all proportion.
“They are using a vague law to try to overturn the election result, even though what he did is not related at all to his hard work on behalf of his constituents. This is nothing more than a ruthless attempt by the SNP to eliminate any remaining opposition to them in Scotland. Alistair is a fantastic local MP, and we need to stand up for him now.”
She adds: “He has told me that his defence will cost £50,000,” and then makes a plea for donations to “stop the SNP witch hunt”.
Ritchie should know that the case, which was heard in a special sitting of the Election Court earlier this week, has nothing to do with the SNP.
The petitioners described themselves as “ordinary Orkney voters” who believe they have a right to elect an MP who is not a self-confessed liar.
Carmichael has admitted leaking an inaccurate memo – and then lying about doing so – aimed at damaging First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Last night his crowdfunding bid had reached £2,645. By contrast, the crowdfunding campaign by the People v Carmichael was sitting at £89,000 after a surge before the court case opened on Monday.
Ritchie is a former councillor and returned to Liberal Democrat activism to run Jardine’s failed campaign to succeed Sir Malcolm Bruce in May. She was not available for comment last night.
The Frenchgate issue is likely to surface in a Westminster debate later today, secured by SNP MP Peter Grant.
He has tabled a motion on the Scotland Office response to Freedom of Information requests and is hoping David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, will reply for the Government.
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