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Sturgeon 'did not declare' earlier meeting linked to Salmond allegations

The former allies, now rivals, met to discuss allegations against Mr Salmond -  Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
The former allies, now rivals, met to discuss allegations against Mr Salmond - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon held a meeting linked to a probe into allegations of sexual misconduct against Alex Salmond that she did not declare to MSPs, her government has confirmed.

It emerged on Monday that an investigation into whether the First Minister broke the ministerial code is to resume, following a delay caused by the criminal case against Mr Salmond and the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

As part of its remit, it will examine allegations that Ms Sturgeon broke her own guidelines by keeping contact with Mr Salmond about the investigation secret from civil servants, and that she sought to interfere with her government’s internal investigation against him.

In a parliamentary question answered by John Swinney, the Deputy First Minister, he confirmed that Ms Sturgeon attended a meeting on March 29, 2018, with Geoff Aberdein, Mr Salmond’s ex-chief of staff, at the Scottish Parliament. In an account of the meeting seen by Sky News, it is stated that the probe against Mr Salmond was discussed.

However, in a statement at Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon suggested she first became aware of the investigation on April 2, 2018, when Mr Salmond told her about it at a meeting at her home.

The disclosure will raise new questions about whether Ms Sturgeon misled parliament, a potentially serious matter, and when she first became aware of allegations against Mr Salmond, who believes there was a conspiracy against him.

Mr Swinney’s response also references four further contacts between Ms Sturgeon and her former mentor, a telephone conversation later that April, a meeting at the SNP conference in June 2018, another meeting at Ms Sturgeon’s home on July 14, 2018, and a telephone conversation four days later.

Mr Salmond subsequently won a legal case against the Scottish Government over the way it handled its investigation, winning more than £500,000 in legal costs. The judge in the case, Lord Pentland, said the Scottish Government's actions had been "unlawful in respect that they were procedurally unfair" and had been "tainted with apparent bias". He was then charged with 14 offences of sexual assault, but was acquitted of all charges in March.

The probe into whether Ms Sturgeon broke the ministerial code is to be led by James Hamilton, a former Director of Public Prosecutions in Ireland and an independent adviser on the ministerial code. He may interview Mr Salmond as part of the investigation, it was confirmed.

A separate review of the Scottish Government’s procedure for handling harassment complaints against current or former ministers is also to resume, and will be led by Laura Dunlop, a QC.

A Holyrood committee is separately investigating the affair, and on Monday wrote to Leslie Evans, the Scottish Government’s top civil servant, confirming she will be called to give evidence on August 18. The committee is also to speak to Mr Salmond, Ms Sturgeon and Peter Murrell, Ms Sturgeon's husband and chief executive of the SNP, who will all be required to give evidence under oath.

In a letter to Ms Evans, Linda Fabiani, the committee convenor, said: “Your evidence session will focus, as part of the first phase of the committee's inquiry, on the development of the procedure for the handling of harassment complaints involving current or former ministers.

“Please note, given your central role in relation to the other phases of the inquiry, you may be expected to give evidence to the committee on a number of separate occasions.”

There have been tensions between the committee and the Scottish Government over the release of relevant documents.