DOUGLAS Ross has threatened to force a vote in Holyrood on whether or not Nicola Sturgeon misled Parliament. 

The Tory chief has given the First Minister an ultimatum, saying that his party will table the vote, unless SNP chief executive Peter Murrell appears before the committee probing the government’s botched handling of harassment allegation against Alex Salmond. 

Murrell, who is Sturgeon’s husband, has so far declined an invitation to give a second round of evidence to MSPs. 

He's been accused of making a number contradictory statements under oath during his first appearance.

Labour have asked the Crown Office to investigate whether he had “perjured himself”.

The Tories say Murrell’s refusal to appear before the committee breaks Sturgeon’s promise made in Holyrood in January 2019, when she told MSPs: “I, my Government and my party have agreed to support the establishment of those inquiries and cooperate fully with them—it is incumbent on all of us to respect those processes. That is what I will do.”

The cross-party committee is investigating the Scottish Government’s investigation into allegations of misconduct made against the former First Minister.

Salmond had the exercise set aside in January 2019, with a judicial review declaring it “unlawful” and “tainted by bias”. The Government’s flawed handling ultimately cost the taxpayer half a million pounds.

At a later criminal case the former SNP leader was cleared on multiple sexual assault charges.

Last December, the party boss told MSPs he was not aware of text and WhatsApp messages regarding allegations against Salmond.

However, it has since emerged that messages do exist, and are being held by the Crown Office.

During the committee hearing on December 8, Labour’s Jackie Baillie asked Murrell if he had discussed Salmond’s judicial review in a WhatsApp group with party or government colleagues.

He replied: “I can tell you only that I know nothing about a WhatsApp group. I am not on WhatsApp; it is not a social media platform that I use.”

It then emerged there was a WhatsApp account linked to his mobile number that had been used. 

Murrell then wrote to the committee to clarify. “I do not use WhatsApp. There are several messaging apps on my phone that I don’t use. 

“This includes profiles on Facebook Messenger, LinkedIn, Instagram, Slack, Skype, and WhatsApp, none of which I use.” 

He was then asked whether he had “ever used WhatsApp in the past including any communications with SNP officials or party members on anything related to concerns about the former first minister and the timescales for such exchanges”.

He responded: “I confirm that I have not used WhatsApp on any matters related to concerns raised about the behaviour of Mr Salmond.”

Douglas Ross said: “Nicola Sturgeon promised that her party would 'co-operate fully' with the inquiry.

“If the SNP chief executive won’t even show up, that promise has clearly been broken and she has misled the Scottish Parliament.

“Nicola Sturgeon can change this. It’s her party. The chief executive works for her. She should demand he at least shows up.

“We know why he doesn’t want to appear. Peter Murrell is running scared of claims that he perjured himself."