'Scotland hasn't failed, its leadership has failed': Alex Salmond gives evidence at inquiry
Video report by ITV News Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith
Alex Salmond has said the leadership of the Scottish government has "failed" and claimed that there had been a "calculated and deliberate suppression of key evidence" to a parliamentary committee.
Giving evidence at a Holyrood inquiry into the unlawful investigation of sexual harassment claims made against him, the former First Minister said the "failures of leadership are many and obvious".
ITV News Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith was at Holyrood:
'Government acted illegally'
But he said nobody had "taken responsibility", adding there had been no resignations or sackings.
"The government acted illegally but somehow nobody is to blame," he added.
"The Scottish Civil Service hasn’t failed, it’s leadership has failed," he said. "The Crown Office hasn’t failed, it’s leadership has failed. Scotland hasn’t failed, its leadership has failed.
"The importance of this inquiry is for each and everyone of us to help put this right."
Meanwhile, he claimed the committee he was appearing before had been asked to do its job "with both hands tied behind its back and a blindfold on".
Mr Salmond referred to the redaction of his written evidence, which accused First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of misleading Holyrood and breaching the ministerial code which she denies.
It was redacted following a letter from the Crown Office expressing concern about possible contempt of court.
Inquiry 'has been blocked at every turn'
Mr Salmond said the committee in its inquiry had been "systematically deprived of the evidence it has legitimately sought".
"This committee has been blocked and tackled at every turn," he added. "My evidence has been published and then censored."
Mr Salmond rejected calls from his successor Nicola Sturgeon that he should provide evidence to back up his claims of a conspiracy.
He stressed it was the Scottish Government who had been “found to have acted unlawfully, unfairly and tainted by apparent bias” by the Court of Session.
He said: "I note that the First Minister asserts I have to prove a case, I don’t. That has already been done. There have been two court cases, two judges, one jury.
“In this inquiry it is the Scottish Government, a government which has already admitted to behaving unlawfully, who are under examination.”
He added: "I watched in astonishment the First minister of Scotland used a Covid press conference to question the result of a jury.
Ms Sturgeon is scheduled to appear before the committee to give evidence next Wednesday.
'The last two years have been a nightmare'
Mr Salmond said: “I have no incentive or advantage in revisiting the hurt and shock of the last three years from a personal perspective.
“Or, indeed, from the perspective of two complainants, failed by the government.”
The former first minister added: “For two years and six months, this has been a nightmare.
“I have every desire to move on, to turn the page, to resist talking yet again about a series of events which have been amongst the most wounding that any person can face.
“But the reason I am here today is because we can’t turn that page, nor move on, until the decision-making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed.”
He added: "I have said nothing about these matters for 11 months. I have turned down hundreds of requests for TV interviews which, as members will know, is not my normal behaviour".
Mr Salmond, who was acquitted of 13 charges of sexual assault in a criminal trial, was awarded a £512,250 payout after he successfully challenged the lawfulness of the Government investigation.
The Government’s investigation of the allegations was found to be “tainted by apparent bias” after it emerged the investigating officer had prior contact with two of the women who made complaints.
The parliamentary inquiry – the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints – was established to look into the Government’s actions.
In his written submission, Mr Salmond named people he claims were involved in a “malicious and concerted” attempt to see him removed from public life and described the Crown Office – the body responsible for prosecuting crimes in Scotland – as “simply not fit for purpose”.
After the evidence was published and in the public domain, the Crown Office wrote to the Parliament and purportedly raised concerns about possible contempt of court.
The Scottish Parliament’s Corporate Body (SPCB) agreed to remove the submission and replace it with a redacted version, with five sections – a total of 474 words – censored.
Mr Salmond’s lawyer, David McKie, subsequently demanded to see any legal justification for the Parliament redacting swathes of his submission and warned there could be a “material risk” if he appeared to give oral evidence as planned.