NICOLA Sturgeon said claims her party or ministers are trying to obstruct the Alex Salmond inquiry “bear no scrutiny whatsoever” during a tense First Minister’s Questions this afternoon.

Ruth Davidson challenged the First Minister on her co-operation with the committee into the Scottish Government’s handling of complaints against Salmond, which this week suspended witness hearings citing a lack of evidence from those involved.

In January 2019 Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament she would “provide whatever material” the inquiry requested, however officials and ministers have not provided certain evidence citing “legal privilege”.

Davidson asked Sturgeon why she had not followed through on her pledge.

“The idea that the SNP or the Scottish Government is trying to obstruct this committee bears no scrutiny whatsoever,” the First Minister told the Chamber.

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She said she had provided “substantial written evidence” to the inquiry earlier this year, but this has not been published yet. The First Minister added she is yet to be invited to give oral evidence – but is willing to do this whenever it is asked of her.

Sturgeon said it was “outrageous” that she was being accused of not being willing to answer questions, and “in parliament being expected to answer questions on behalf of other people”.

She told members to “treat the committee process with respect and take this seriously”.

Davidson challenged Sturgeon on alleged leaked WhatsApp messages, which suggest that in January 2019 her husband, SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, said it was a “good time to be pressurising” police over Salmond.

Salmond stood trial on a series of sexual assault charges, and was acquitted of all charges.

Davidson asked Sturgeon whether the leaked messages were genuine. The First Minister said she did not think it was “reasonable” to be “asked questions about things that other people might or might not have done”.

“Call the people who the messages are purported to come from and ask them the questions,” the SNP leader told Davidson. “Call me and I will answer for myself.”

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The former Scottish Tory leader told Sturgeon it was “complete” nonsense for her to see her to act differently as SNP leader and First Minister, claiming it “hides the real truth here, which is a shabby abuse of power this affair has revealed”.

The now-paused Salmond inquiry is looking at how Sturgeon’s government acted in an internal probe into sexual misconduct allegations made against Salmond two years ago.

In a judicial review in 2019 Salmond had the probe set aside, forcing the Government to admit it had been “tainted by apparent bias”.