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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Alistair Carmichael election challenge hearing resumes | Alistair Carmichael election challenge hearing resumes |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A legal challenge to the election of Liberal Democrat Alistair Carmichael as Orkney and Shetland MP has resumed. | A legal challenge to the election of Liberal Democrat Alistair Carmichael as Orkney and Shetland MP has resumed. |
| Four of Mr Carmichael's constituents raised the case, under the Representation of the People Act. | Four of Mr Carmichael's constituents raised the case, under the Representation of the People Act. |
| They claim the MP misled the electorate over a memo which claimed SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon wanted David Cameron to be re-elected prime minister. | They claim the MP misled the electorate over a memo which claimed SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon wanted David Cameron to be re-elected prime minister. |
| Jonathan Mitchell QC, representing the petitioners, is continuing his arguments and can be watched live. | |
| Mr Mitchell said it was the "cover up" - when Mr Carmichael denied knowledge of the leak - which was important. | |
| He said even if the leaked memo was entirely accurate, the denial of awareness of the leak would remain. | |
| He has already told the court that his clients believed that Mr Carmichael leaked the information to deliberately smear the SNP. | He has already told the court that his clients believed that Mr Carmichael leaked the information to deliberately smear the SNP. |
| Roddy Dunlop QC, for Mr Carmichael, had earlier asked judges at the Court of Session to dismiss the case at the start of the hearing on Monday. | Roddy Dunlop QC, for Mr Carmichael, had earlier asked judges at the Court of Session to dismiss the case at the start of the hearing on Monday. |
| He told the specially-convened election court that the petition was "irrelevant" and "bound to fail". | He told the specially-convened election court that the petition was "irrelevant" and "bound to fail". |
| The case, believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland for 50 years, arose from remarks made by Mr Carmichael at the start of the general election campaign. | The case, believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland for 50 years, arose from remarks made by Mr Carmichael at the start of the general election campaign. |
| The MP - Scottish Secretary in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition before the election - authorised the leaking of a civil service memo suggesting the first minister had told the French ambassador she backed Tory PM David Cameron to remain in Downing Street. | The MP - Scottish Secretary in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition before the election - authorised the leaking of a civil service memo suggesting the first minister had told the French ambassador she backed Tory PM David Cameron to remain in Downing Street. |
| Mr Carmichael initially denied leaking the confidential memo to the Daily Telegraph. | Mr Carmichael initially denied leaking the confidential memo to the Daily Telegraph. |
| He claimed the first he had heard of it was when he received a phone call from a journalist. | He claimed the first he had heard of it was when he received a phone call from a journalist. |
| However, the MP later admitted full responsibility for sanctioning its release, and accepted the "details of the account are not correct". | However, the MP later admitted full responsibility for sanctioning its release, and accepted the "details of the account are not correct". |