Salmond denies sexual misconduct allegations

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

They met when she was his boss

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/511487/Alex-Salmond-wife-Moira-Salmond-possibly-Scotland-s-new-first-lady

Moira sounds kind of cool.

[Nearly Sane]

The final FMQs at Holyrood was today, before the election campaign starts, and it was interesting to see that Ruth Davidson (in her final appearance at Holyrood) chose to not mention the Salmond case in any of her questions, which surprised me given how vitriolic the  Scottish Tories have been on this issue - perhaps they were chastened that their 'no confidence' motion of yesterday turned out to be a damp squib after Scottish Labour decided to abstain.

Maybe they will raise it more during the election campaign or maybe, after the Hamilton report outcome, they've decided there is little mileage left in this that they could benefit from - time will tell.

Oh no, it's going to be a constant particularly in any debates that are held. And it will be by all parties other than the Greens

[ProfessorDavey]

I suspect the motive now is revenge: he wants at least one head to roll so as to justify himself, and if he can't get the FM he'll go for the top civil servant. Pity he isn't more concerned about his own behaviour.

I agree, but I think there is a further element here - delay. I think this allows Salmond to claim that the original complaints cannot be re-investigated as there is another process ongoing.

[Nearly Sane]

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/511487/Alex-Salmond-wife-Moira-Salmond-possibly-Scotland-s-new-first-lady

Moira sounds kind of cool.

I've met her briefly a couple of times. She certainly seemed pretty cool

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

And let's remember that we are just about to have an election so anything that happens will be after that. And I can't help thinking that this may have a significant effect on the election.

Yes looks like there is to be an overhaul of the Complaints process and this won't be implemented until after the May elections.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/16/scottish-government-to-overhaul-harassment-complaints-policy

[ProfessorDavey]

Yes looks like there is to be an overhaul of the Complaints process and this won't be implemented until after the May elections.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/16/scottish-government-to-overhaul-harassment-complaints-policy

Good idea to have someone independent and external to the organisation to investigate cases involving senior ministers.

Hope this is good to go in May and that the Government re-runs the investigation using their new procedure as per the outcome of the Judicial Review. Only in that way will justice be served as there will finally be determination as to whether the allegations are upheld under the civil balance of probabilities burden of proof.

And I'm in no way prejudging what the outcome would be - perhaps with a new investigating officer the initial investigation wouldn't find that Salmond has a case to answer. And even if it did the formal proceedings might not uphold those complaints on the balance of probabilities. And even if it did Salmond might win on appeal.

Surely the claimants have the right to see their complaints considered to a conclusion and a decision, regardless of what that decision may be.

However I'm not holding my breath that the Government will hold a new investigation with the revised procedures.

[Gordon]

Moderator:

Various posts in this thread that digressed into discussing the Holyrood election/Alba party have been split to form a new thread: Holyrood Election (& political party games) in order that this thread can be used to discuss any later legal matters that emerge regarding this case.

[The Accountant, OBE, KC]

I thought I would see whether the new complaints procedure was going to look into the Salmond harassment accusations but it doesn't look like that is likely to happen. Apparently the 2 women do not see the point of proceeding with another complaint against Salmond. They also said they felt a bit abandoned by the Scottish government it seems.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/alex-salmond-harassment-complaints-could-be-reopened-by-scottish-ministers-with-new-procedure/ar-AASMkko?ocid=uxbndlbing&pfr=1

There is currently a police investigation into "unlawful disclosure of information" by the Scottish government - regarding their alleged leak to the papers about the harassment complaints against Salmond. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58661817

The Scottish Government's internal investigation carried out by Colin Cook into a potential data protection breach was a bit of a whitewash apparently as Cook did not interview the key witnesses.


https://johnsmytheinvestigations.wordpress.com/2021/12/30/msm-article-prime-witnesses-in-alex-salmond-leak-case-werent-interviewed-wednesday-29-december-2021-by-kieran-andrews-mike-wade/

[jeremyp]

I'm not sure if I'd be bringing this back into the limelight if I were Alex Salmond.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-67517416

He's suing the Scottish Government for mishandling the harassment claims against him.

[Nearly Sane]

I'm not sure if I'd be bringing this back into the limelight if I were Alex Salmond.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-67517416

He's suing the Scottish Government for mishandling the harassment claims against him.

I suppose there's an element of might as well be compensated for a sheep as for a lamb here. Salmond sees his reputation as still being affected by this, which it is. This won't change that but he calculates it won't make it worse, and he gets a chance at revenge. It's crying out for a dramatist to do a Shakespearean treatment (pace Anchorman).