Nicola Sturgeon: The only person who should apologise for Alex Salmond's behaviour is him, and he failed
Video report by ITV News Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith
Nicola Sturgeon has accused Alex Salmond of failing to apologise "for behaviour on his part", and denied there was ever a plot to "get him".
Maintaining throughout her evidence to the Holyrood enquiry that she did not intervene in the Scottish government’s investigation into her predecessor, Ms Sturgeon said: "I think the only person who should apologise for behaviour on his part – which he was asked to do on Friday and failed to do – is Alex Salmond."
Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith on the implications of the investigation on Nicola Sturgeon's career
Earlier on Wednesday the first minister rejected what she called "the absurd suggestion that anyone was acting with malice or this was part of a plot against Alex Salmond".
After nearly seven hours of questioning by MSPs, Ms Sturgeon said: "I have learned things about Alex Salmond over the past couple of years that have made me rethink certain things I thought about him.
"No doubt he would say the same about me."
Appearing before the committee, Ms Sturgon condemned Mr Salmond's actions, telling MSPs the details of complaints against him were "shocking" and his behaviour "was not always appropriate".
"What happened is this and it is simple. A number of women made complaints against Alex Salmond," she continued.
"As first minister I refused to follow the age old pattern of allowing a powerful man to use his status and connections to get what he wants."
The Scottish government launched an investigation into the former first minister after a number of women came forward with allegations of sexual harassment.
A successful judicial review by Mr Salmond resulted in the investigation being ruled unlawful and "tainted by apparent bias", with a £512,250 payout for legal fees - he was later acquitted of 13 charges following a criminal trial at Edinburgh’s High Court.
Appearing close to tears as questions continued into the afternoon, Ms Sturgeon told the committee reflecting on her previous friendly relationship with her mentor Mr Salmond was "deeply personal".
"I’ve had to go through a process of reassessing all sorts of things around that," she said.
"As I was watching him on Friday lashing out – that’s my words – against us, I don’t know whether he ever reflects on the fact that many of us, including me, feel very let down by him.
"That’s a matter of deep personal pain and regret for me."
Asked by Murdo Fraser MSP if she owed the Scottish people an apology for having previously told them they should trust Mr Salmond, Ms Sturgeon said: "I trusted him and I am not going to apologise for the behaviour of somebody else.
"I do not think it’s reasonable to ask me to apologise for the behaviour of Alex Salmond.
"I think the only person who should apologise for behaviour on his part – which he was asked to do on Friday and failed to do – is Alex Salmond."
Ms Sturgeon used her time in front of MSPs to apologise to the "two women who were failed" as well as the "wider public" over the investigation.
The first minister went into detail about the pair's working relationship.
"He was a tough guy to work with. Personally I didn’t experience that very much.
"But he was a really tough guy to work with, sometimes that was justified, sometimes it wasn’t and there would be times I would tell him he had gone over the score."
Ms Sturgeon also said Mr Salmond had failed to show appreciation for other involved in the inquiry.
"Alex spoke on Friday about what a nightmare the last couple of years have been for him, and I don’t doubt that," Ms Sturgeon said.
"I have thought often about the impact on him. He was someone I cared about for a long time."
But she added: "On Friday [when Mr Salmond was giving evidence] I found myself searching for any sign that he recognised how difficult this has been for others too.
"First and foremost to the woman who believed his behaviour to be inappropriate.
"But also to those who had campaigned with him, worked with him, cared for him and considered him a friend and now stand, unfairly accused of plotting against him."
Ms Sturgeon said it was "beyond question" that Mr Salmond had been acquitted of criminal conduct, but she added: "I know, just from what he told me, that his behaviour was not always appropriate.
"And yet across six hours of testimony, there was not a single word of regret, reflection or a simple acknowledgment of that. I can only hope in private the reality might be different."
Ms Sturgeon vehemently denied Mr Salmond's claim there was a “malicious and concerted” attempt to remove him from public life.
Key questions:
Was government's revised harassment procedure 'created to get Alex Salmond?'
Speaking on Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon denied any suggestion she had wanted to “get” Former first minister Alex Salmond.
SNP MSP Alasdair Allan said that some have claimed the government’s revised harassment procedure, which were also applied to former ministers was “created to get Alex Salmond”.
Ms Sturgeon replied: "It wasn’t. Absolutely, emphatically not. Alex Salmond has been, and I have said this many times, one of the closest people to me in my entire life.
"I would never have wanted to get Alex Salmond, and I would never, ever have wanted any of this to happen.
"If I could have, short of brushing complaints under the carpet which would have been wrong to me, if I could turn the clock back and find legitimate ways that none of this would ever have happened, then I would.
"Alex Salmond has been for most of my life, since I was about 20, 21 years old, not just a very close political colleague, a friend, someone in my younger days who I looked up to and revered.
"I had no motive, intention, desire to get Alex Salmond."
Ms Sturgeon insisted she had seen "nothing that comes within a million miles" of backing up claims that Mr Salmond was the victim of a conspiracy within the SNP.
She added said there had been "a bit of gossip about what was going on" but she stressed that people in the SNP were co-operating with police.
How was one of the names of the claimants leaked?
Giving evidence on Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon denied the identity of a woman making a complaint against Mr Salmond was leaked to his former chief of staff and subsequently Mr Salmond himself by her government. Ms Sturgeon said: "I am not accepting that that happened, therefore I am clearly not accepting that was authorised."
The first minister accepted this was a "matter of contention".
Pressed on whether she had investigated the leak, Ms Sturgeon said: "The clear view of the person who is being accused of this is that it didn’t happen.
"I am not able to go into, for the legal constraints I am under, why that is the case."
Asked where she thought details leaked to the press had come from, Ms Sturgeon said she did not know.
"I can tell you they didn’t come from me, or anyone acting on my instruction or request. I’m certain as I can be it didn’t come from my office."
Ms Sturgeon expressed her regret about the leak, adding that the government had not benefitted "in any way" from it.
When did the first minister become aware of the investigation?
Ms Sturgeon originally told parliament she became aware of the investigation when Mr Salmond told her at her Glasgow home on April 2, 2018.
She later had to admit she had “forgotten” a meeting four days earlier with his former chief of staff, Geoff Aberdein, in which the investigation was reportedly discussed.
Ms Sturgeon also claims she believed the April 2 meeting was about party business rather than government business – and therefore would not have had to have been recorded by a civil servant.
Speaking on Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon said the meeting with Mr Salmond at her home on April 2 was “firmly in the personal and party space”.
Mr Salmond had earlier asserted that there was “no doubt” it was about the government’s investigation of him.
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