An MSP on the committee investigating the Scottish Government’s botched handling of sexual harassment complaints against Alex Salmond has said the inquiry is in danger of failing unless the 'key players' give evidence.
Committee member Murdo Fraser said it was time to "get to the truth of this whole affair", and that the former First Minister could be compelled to attend.
Mr Salmond was expected to appear before the Holyrood committee investigating the Scottish Government’s botched handling of sexual harassment complaints against him on Tuesday, but he declined to do so after it failed to publish evidence he submitted.
The committee voted not to publish the submission or a redacted version of the evidence. But a judge has now amended a court order which prevents the publication of information.
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The committee has now decided to hold a meeting today to discuss the ruling, while Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour claim this paves the way for Mr Salmond to give evidence before it.
Murdo Fraser
Committee member Murdo Fraser said that the judgment, and Ms Sturgeon's call earlier this week for the committee to use its powers to compel witnesses to give evidence, had changed things.
Speaking to BBC radio, he said: "I think that gives us the green light to go ahead and invite Mr Salmond to give evidence and if we have to use compulsion powers we can certainly look at that, but I hope that will not be necessary because of the indications yesterday from his lawyers that he would be prepared to come voluntarily.
"We need to get to the truth of this whole affair. This farce has gone on far, far too long."
The Scottish Conservative MSP added: "The committee has had to put up with lies, with contradictions, with obstructions, with witnesses coming and giving us evidence that is incorrect that they have then had to correct in writing.
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"We've had the women at the heart of this affair - vulnerable women who made complaints - being used as a political football by competing factions in an increasingly bloody civil war within the SNP, and I'm sick of this whole sordid affair.
"It has gone far too long. We need no more lies, no more obstruction, so more sophistry and no more evasion from the key players here. We need to hear from the former First Minister and the current First Minister, and we need to try and get to the truth of what has gone wrong.
"The committee is in danger of failing because of all the reasons I've set out and the woeful lack of cooperation from the Scottish Government."
Former First Minister Alex Salmond
If he agrees to attend, Mr Salmond would give evidence before Nicola Sturgeon to allow the First Minister the opportunity to respond.
This means that her scheduled appearance on Tuesday 16th February is in doubt, as that may be too tight a timescale to allow both to give evidence.
The committee was set up after Mr Salmond received a £512,000 payout following the Court of Session civil ruling that the Scottish Government’s handling of the complaints was “unlawful” and “tainted by apparent bias”.
The former First Minister was later cleared of 13 charges, including sexual assault, indecent assault and attempted rape, following a trial at the High Court last year.
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