Former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael was behind leaked Sturgeon memo

Alistair Carmichael was behind the leaked memo Credit: PA

The former Scottish Secretary was behind a controversial leaked memo released in the countdown to the general election, an inquiry has found.

The memo suggested First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had declared she wanted David Cameron to remain as Prime Minister in a meeting with French Ambassador Sylvie Bermann.

An official inquiry by the Cabinet Office found that Alistair Carmichael had given permission to his special adviser Euan Roddin to release the memo to the Daily Telegraph.

According to a report released following the investigation, both Mr Carmichael and Mr Roddin have now admitted their role in the controversy.

Neither will claim the severance pay they wold normally be entitled to when a minister loses their seat.

The memo was leaked to the Daily Telegraph Credit: Daily Telegraph

Ms Sturgeon fiercely denied having expressed a preference for Mr Cameron to continue leading the country, after the story was leaked to the Daily Telegraph in April.

She argued that the note - which also recorded her as saying she did not think then-Labour leader Ed Miliband was "prime minister material" - was "100 per cent untrue".

The report reveals the civil servant who originally produced the memo following the meeting had included a note to say part of the conversation between Ms Sturgeon and the French Consul General may have been "lost in translation".

Other than that, however, he believed that the memo was an accurate record of the conversation.

The Cabinet Secretary concluded that there was no deliberate, politically-motivated deception, nor any "dirty tricks" being played.

Alistair Carmichael will not claim his minister's severance pay Credit: PA

As part of the inquiry, investigators searched phone records, e-mails and print logs, as well as interviewing everyone who had access to the memo.Mr Roddin later confirmed that he had provided a copy of it to the national paper.

The team then questioned Mr Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland, who also admitted his role.

He had previously accused a civil servant of being behind the leak, claiming he had not been aware of it beforehand.

Mr Carmichael has written to Ms Sturgeon to apologise Credit: PA

In a statement, Mr Carmichael said he "regretted" agreeing to the memo's release, calling it an "error of judgement" for which he would have resigned as minister if he still held the post.

He has also written to both Ms Sturgeon and Ms Bermann to apologise, he added.

Ms Sturgeon posted a copy of the letter to Twitter.