THE legal campaign against former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael over the so-called Frenchgate memo scandal, which was an attempt to smear Nicola Sturgeon, is appealing for more money ahead of a court hearing.

The People Versus Alistair Carmichael raised more than £61,000 within weeks of its launch following the General Election with donations from almost 4000 individuals.

It said the extra crowd-funding bid was now needed to ensure the petitioners were “protected financially as the case continues with costs likely to escalate”.

The legal case, brought under the 1983 Representation of the People Act 1983, is being pursued by four constituents of Scotland’s only Liberal Democrat MP, who represents Orkney and Shetland.

The case is being contested by Mr Carmichael with a hearing, expected to focus on points of law, due to take place in Edinburgh on September 7 and 8.

A spokesman for the legal campaign said: “We are overwhelmed by the support and goodwill out there and all the petitioners remain resilient despite the huge financial risks that they are ultimately and personally exposed to.”

He explained that the petitioners had a significant legal team, including a Queen’s Counsel, junior counsel and solicitors, for what was a ground-breaking legal action, which began on May 22.

“I’m sure folk will understand that costs for this sort of representation are not cheap,” said the spokesman.

He went on: “The nature of this action is that not all costs can be predicted and as it has not been done before and as the case develops potential cost liabilities have to be kept under review. Legal debate became a sensible step prior to trial but the realistic costs for our side are increasing to take the action to court in September. However, we can assure everyone that we are doing all we can, as are the legal team, to keep costs down. We also have no idea what the opposition are spending."

The spokesman added: “We wish to be transparent and all unused funds will go to Scottish food bank charities. We intend to take this all the way and obviously hope for a positive outcome but there are no guarantees and we may have to return for more financial help later whichever way the action goes.”

The Frenchgate row erupted after the election when it transpired Mr Carmichael as Scottish Secretary sanctioned the leaking to the press of the contents of a memo covering a meeting between the First Minister and Sylvie Bermann, the French ambassador to the UK.

It was claimed the memo had revealed Ms Sturgeon privately wanted David Cameron to stay in Downing Street and that she believed Labour leader Ed Miliband was not up to the job of Prime Minister. This was a direct contradiction to what the SNP leader had been saying in public.

But Ms Sturgeon swiftly denied that the contents of the memo were true as did the French Embassy. Mr Carmichael, who took full responsibility for leaking the memo, later accepted its contents were false.

Apart from the court case, a question-mark also hangs over Mr Carmichael's future as an MP as he is being investigated by the Commons standards commissioner over Frenchgate.

It is widely believed that if Kathryn Hudson finds against the Northern Isles MP, he will resign and force a by-election.