NICOLA Sturgeon has raised the stakes in her Government’s legal battle with Alex Salmond by warning that how the SNP deals with explosive sexual harassment claims will reflect on Scotland’s reputation.

The First Minister told her party it needs to make sure it is not making it harder for women to come forward or “we risk setting back so much of the progress that has been made in recent times”.

She addressed SNP parliamentarians at a gathering in Edinburgh as rifts continued to emerge over how Mr Salmond has reacted to sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Ms Sturgeon previously stressed her full support for how civil servants had handled the complaints, but high-profile SNP figures backed Mr Salmond’s bid to challenge the Government’s “grossly unfair” process.

He has raised almost £100,000 for a judicial review at the Court of Session, but was attacked for saying the exercise was about him putting “Scottish independence first” as he sensationally quit the SNP to avoid splits in the party.

Colin Beattie, the SNP’s national treasurer, defended his decision to donate to Mr Salmond’s controversial crowdfunding appeal – insisting “it’s just about fairness, that’s all”.

He said Mr Salmond's judicial review would determine whether there were any concerns about the Scottish Government's complaints process. Asked if he hoped Mr Salmond would be successful, Mr Beattie said: "We will wait and see."

Mr Salmond, 63, has been heavily criticised for his decision to crowdfund his legal action. Some within his own party branded the move "repulsive", while opposition figures said it was an "abuse of power".

His solicitors confirmed he has now served legal papers on the Government, with Scotland's most senior civil servant, Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, named as the first respondent in the case.

Addressing SNP MPs and MSPs at an “away day” at Edinburgh Napier University, Ms Sturgeon directly addressed the allegations.

She said: "How we deal with this, and how we are seen to respond to this, will say a lot about who we are as a party and also about the country we are today and want to build for the future.

"I believe in a Scotland where there is equality before the law, where there's not one rule for the powerful and another rule for everyone else, and where all parties get fair and due process.

"Let’s not forget that at the heart of this, amidst all the focus on process, politics and personalities, there are two people who have brought forward complaints, which cannot have been at all easy to do.

"I want to be not just the First Minister but also a citizen of a country where people feel that they can come forward and know that their complaints will be taken seriously.

"Therefore, in everything we do and say, we need to make sure that we are not making it harder for people to come forward in the future – otherwise, we risk setting back so much of the progress that has been made in recent times."

A string of senior SNP figures refused to comment on the events as they arrived at Napier.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop, Social Security Secretary Shirley Anne-Somerville and Deputy First Minister John Swinney all supported Ms Sturgeon’s approach.

John Mason MSP said he was “thinking about” donating to Mr Salmond’s fundraiser, but added: “I think probably I’ll stay neutral at the moment because I’ve got kind of links with both sides obviously, so I think I’ll not be contributing.”

Asked for his view on Mr Salmond's crowdfunding appeal, the SNP's chief whip in Holyrood George Adam said: "What Alex Salmond does is up to Alex Salmond."

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw insisted the failure of Nicola Sturgeon “to condemn in the strongest possible terms Alex Salmond’s grubby crowdfunding campaign speaks volumes”.

He added: “The Scottish people deserve a Scottish Government focused on the important job of governing the country, not on in-fighting and independence."

Mr Salmond is facing allegations about his conduct towards two civil servants, dating back to his time as first minister. He fiercely denies the claims, which have been passed to the police.

Yesterday, Sir John Elvidge – Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government between 2003 and 2010 – said he couldn’t rule out whether informal complaints had been made about harassment by Mr Salmond during his time in office.

Mr Salmond announced his crowdfunding campaign at the same time as he revealed he was quitting the SNP.

He said he was doing so because he feared there would "substantial internal division" within the party if his successor Ms Sturgeon was forced to suspend him.

A Scottish Government spokesman said it will “vigorously defend” its position.

Mr Salmond said he was concentrating on preparing for the judicial review.