ALEX Cole-Hamilton’s questioning at the inquiry into the Scottish Government’s handling of harassment complaints against the former First Minister turned the session into a “clown show”, according to National columnist Shona Craven.
During the session the LibDem MSP was interrupted by the convener several times, who reminded him Alex Salmond was not on trial.
Writing in the Daily Mail today, Henry Deedes says Cole-Hamilton was “clearly a man with a keen eye on the next day’s headlines, asking Mr Salmond if he wished to say sorry about his past behaviour”.
READ MORE: Alex Salmond claims First Minister’s leadership has failed Scotland
Salmond was acquitted of all charges at the High Court last year. The committee’s focus is on the Scottish Government, which was found to have acted unlawfully while investigating the claims made against him.
Speaking to Good Morning Scotland, Craven said: “To be honest, I think you referenced Alex Cole-Hamilton’s interventions.
“I think he turned the whole session into a clown show, right at the beginning. Because he demonstrated that he hadn’t actually listened to what Alex Salmond had said.
“Alex Salmond throughout was pointing out that two original women complainers have been let down here, and he mentioned that only for Alex Cole-Hamilton to say why are you not talking about the complainers.
“So I think anyone tuning in for the first time while think who are these committee members? Are they even listening to the evidence that’s been provided to them?
“Some of the questioning was much much more robust, especially around why these redactions were made – Alex Salmond had a lot to say about that legislation since he helped introduce it along with Kenny MacAskill. And there was some good questioning.
“But it’s just unfortunate that things started in a really unedifying and frankly really embarrassing way.”
READ MORE: Holyrood: LibDem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton appears to swear during committee meeting
During the session yesterday Salmond said he had no proof Nicola Sturgeon was involved in what he believes was a “malicious and concerted attempt” to remove him from public life, but added he had “no doubt” that she had broken the ministerial code.
He stopped short of calling for the First Minister to resign, saying that is not a matter for him to decide.
Salmond suggested the Scottish Government had gone to “extraordinary lengths” to obstruct the Holyrood inquiry into its “abject failure” to deal with harassment complaints.
Yesterday the First Minister’s spokesman added: “Today was Alex Salmond’s chance to provide proof of the conspiracy which has been alleged – and he did not do so.
“Instead, under oath, he explicitly conceded there was no such evidence against the First Minister, and also gave testimony which directly undermined some of the central planks of the conspiracy theories.”
Sturgeon is due to appear before the committee on Wednesday and her spokesman says she “looks forward” to addressing issues Salmond raised.
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