NICOLA Sturgeon has insisted she acted “appropriately and in good faith” as she announced she will refer herself to a panel of independent advisers on the Ministerial Code over her meetings and conversations with Alex Salmond.
The First Minister last week revealed she met her predecessor on three occasions and had spoken to him on the phone twice after sexual harassment allegations had been made by two female civil servants against him to the Scottish Government in January 2018. The women’s complaints date to December 2013 when Salmond was First Minister.
On Tuesday, the Scottish Government’s handling of the allegations against the former first minister was ruled unlawful by Scotland’s highest civil court.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon reveals chief of staff was at initial Salmond meeting
The Scottish Government admitted it had acted unlawfully while investigating the sexual harassment claims against Salmond. It said it had breached its own guidelines by appointing an investigating officer who had previously met the two women who made the allegations. It is estimated the botched legal case will cost taxpayers £500,000.
There has been pressure on Leslie Evans, the head of the civil service, who was responsible for the investigation to resign. Following the court ruling last week the FM backed her Permanent Secretary.
A separate police inquiry is ongoing into the women’s complaints. The former first minister strongly denies the allegations made against him.
Sturgeon said: “It is in the interests of the women who have complained that the ongoing police investigations are allowed to continue without any risk of prejudice. That must be the priority for everyone.
“Questions have been raised about my meetings and telephone calls with Alex Salmond during the Government’s investigation into the complaints which were made.
“I have acted appropriately and in good faith throughout, and in compliance with the Ministerial Code at all times. However, I have reflected carefully and understand that it is also important for Parliament and the wider public to be assured of that.
“I have therefore decided to refer the matter for consideration by one or both of the Independent Advisers on the Ministerial Code.”
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon urged to reveal details of Alex Salmond talks
Opposition parties had been calling for Sturgeon to make the referral to the watchdog, with Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw describing the situation as “a shambles” during First Minister’s Questions on Tuesday.
Sturgeon stated that the complaints made against Salmond cannot be ignored.
The First Minister said: “The Independent Advisers will now be consulted on their precise remit, and advice will also be sought on how to ensure that there is no risk of prejudice to the ongoing police investigation. The remit will be published in due course.
“The fact remains that at the centre of this issue are two women whose complaints could not be swept under the carpet.
“Continuing commentary about these issues at this stage – whether from myself, the Government or Mr Salmond and his representatives – would only serve to distract from, and potentially compromise, the consideration by the police of the subject matter of their investigations. That is something we will not do.”
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard MSP indicated the First Minister had “done the right thing” in referring herself under the Ministerial Code and called for a full inquiry.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: Decision to settle Salmond case 'deeply regrettable'
He said: “Transparency is now absolutely essential in order for the public to have confidence in the First Minister and the Scottish Government.
“That is why we should also see a full, public parliamentary inquiry in to what exactly has happened.
“I look forward to working constructively with members from other parties this week in order to secure that.
“It is also now essential that the Scottish Parliament is given the power to fully review the outcome of this investigation into whether Nicola Sturgeon has broken the Ministerial Code.”
Carlaw called the First Minister’s handling of the situation “abysmal”.
He said: “The First Minister says today that Parliament deserves assuances about the way she and her administration handled this matter.
“The best way to do that isn’t to kick the matter into the long grass, it’s to agree to an inquiry by Parliament so MSPs can find out what has gone on.The First Minister’s decision to refer herself under the Ministerial Code does not change that.
“To be clear, there is no reason why such an inquiry need impact on the separate police investigation into Mr Salmond.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Pringle, a former advisor to both Salmond and Sturgeon has warned the flawed handling of the investigation into the former First Minister “strikes a severe blow” to the reputation of the Scottish Government. Writing in the Sunday Times, he added: “From a communications perspective, the drip-drip point of information coming out slowly is poison.”
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