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Orkney and Shetland shocked by MP's memo lie, election court hears Orkney and Shetland shocked by MP's memo lie, election court hears
(35 minutes later)
Orkney and Shetland felt shock and disbelief that its Lib Dem MP had lied about the leak of a memo alleging Nicola Sturgeon wanted a Tory victory, an election court has heard.Orkney and Shetland felt shock and disbelief that its Lib Dem MP had lied about the leak of a memo alleging Nicola Sturgeon wanted a Tory victory, an election court has heard.
Fiona Grahame, a voter from Sandwick in Orkney, told an election court in Edinburgh she felt let down when Alistair Carmichael admitted two weeks after May’s general election he had authorised the leak of Scotland Office memo that wrongly claimed the first minister wanted David Cameron to win. Fiona Grahame, a voter from Sandwick in Orkney, told an election court in Edinburgh that she felt let down when Alistair Carmichael admitted, two weeks after May’s general election, that he had authorised the leak of a Scotland Office memo that wrongly claimed the first minister wanted David Cameron to win.
“I can’t find anybody that wasn’t shocked,” she told Jonathan Mitchell, QC, on Monday. “That was just the general feeling in the islands; disbelief really, that he had been so involved and he had basically lied about this memo, about leaking it.” “I can’t find anybody that wasn’t shocked,” she told Jonathan Mitchell QC on Monday. “That was just the general feeling in the islands; disbelief really, that he had been so involved and he had basically lied about this memo, about leaking it.”
The former primary school teacher said Carmichael, the Scottish secretary in the coalition government, had been widely admired and respected on Orkney because of his reputation for probity and because he worked so hard for the constituency.The former primary school teacher said Carmichael, the Scottish secretary in the coalition government, had been widely admired and respected on Orkney because of his reputation for probity and because he worked so hard for the constituency.
Related: Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael to face questions in election court
Grahame is one of four Orkney and Shetland voters who have raised more than £127,000 to take Carmichael to a rare election court, accusing him of lying about the leak in an effort to influence the outcome of the vote.Grahame is one of four Orkney and Shetland voters who have raised more than £127,000 to take Carmichael to a rare election court, accusing him of lying about the leak in an effort to influence the outcome of the vote.
Carmichael, who is scheduled to give evidence on Monday afternoon, was re-elected, but with his majority slahed from 9,928 to 817 after May’s general election in which the Scottish National party surged won 56 of Scotland’s 59 Westminster seats. TGrahame’s group hope to have that Orkney and Shetland result overturned, forcing a byelection. Carmichael is Scotland’s only Lib Dem MP. Carmichael, who is scheduled to give evidence on Monday afternoon, was re-elected, but with his majority slashed from 9,928 to 817 after May’s general election, in which the Scottish National party won 56 of Scotland’s 59 Westminster seats. Grahame’s group hope to have that Orkney and Shetland result overturned, forcing a byelection. Carmichael is Scotland’s only Lib Dem MP.
There were tense and combative exchanges in court when Tavish Scott, the MSP for Shetland and former Scottish Lib Dem leader, accused the petitioners of conducting a politically motivated “show trial”. There were tense and combative exchanges in court when Tavish Scott, the MSP for Shetland and a former Scottish Lib Dem leader, accused the petitioners of conducting a politically motivated “show trial”.
Questioned by Mitchell, Scott said: “I don’t think people like these proceedings. They think this is a political show trial. They think this is politically motivated and is being funded by nationalists who don’t want opposition in this country.”Questioned by Mitchell, Scott said: “I don’t think people like these proceedings. They think this is a political show trial. They think this is politically motivated and is being funded by nationalists who don’t want opposition in this country.”
The memo, published by the Daily Telegraph, reported that the then French consul general to Edinburgh, Pierre-Alain Coffinier, had told a Scotland Office official that Sturgeon had told the French ambassador to the UK, Sylvie Berman, she preferred Cameron to win, and that she did not believe the then Labour leader, Ed Miliband, had the qualities needed to be prime minister. The memo, published by the Daily Telegraph, reported that the then French consul general to Edinburgh, Pierre-Alain Coffinier, had told a Scotland Office official that Sturgeon had told the French ambassador to the UK, Sylvie Berman, that she would prefer Cameron to win, and that she did not believe that the then Labour leader, Ed Miliband, had the qualities needed to be prime minister.
Sturgeon denied that allegation vehemently the evening the story was published; Coffinier told the Guardian she had not said so in the meeting, and denied the memo was accurate. That weekend, Carmichael implied in an interview with Channel 4 News that he had no knowledge about the leak. Sturgeon denied that allegation vehemently on the evening the story was published, while Coffinier told the Guardian that she had not made the reported comments in the meeting, and denied the memo was accurate.
Asked what he was aware of, he said: “I’ve told you, the first I became aware of this, and this is already on public record, was when I received a phone call on Friday afternoon [the day of the Telegraph article] from a journalist making me aware of it.” That weekend, Carmichael implied in an interview with Channel 4 News that he had no knowledge about the leak. Asked what he was aware of, he said: “I’ve told you, the first I became aware of this, and this is already on public record, was when I received a phone call on Friday afternoon [the day of the Telegraph article] from a journalist making me aware of it.”
But Carmichael admitted to a Cabinet Office inquiry on 22 May that he had authorised the leak of the memo by his special adviser Euan Roddin and apologised profusely. The MP said he had refused to take his severance pay after losing his Cabinet job, and would have resigned as Scottish secretary had he remained in the post.But Carmichael admitted to a Cabinet Office inquiry on 22 May that he had authorised the leak of the memo by his special adviser Euan Roddin and apologised profusely. The MP said he had refused to take his severance pay after losing his Cabinet job, and would have resigned as Scottish secretary had he remained in the post.
Grahame was not asked by Mitchell on Monday whether she had voted Lib Dem at the election . She had told the court she was a Scottish Green party member and had been active in the pro-independence campaign during the referendum campaign last year.Grahame was not asked by Mitchell on Monday whether she had voted Lib Dem at the election . She had told the court she was a Scottish Green party member and had been active in the pro-independence campaign during the referendum campaign last year.
Scott admitted he had felt very disappointed by Carmichael’s dishonesty and revealed the MP had mentioned to him on 10 May – three days after the election, that the information he gave in the Channel 4 interview was wrong. But he said Carmichael did not specify how is was incorrect. Scott admitted he had felt very disappointed by Carmichael’s dishonesty and revealed that the MP had mentioned to him on 10 May – three days after the election, that the information he gave in the Channel 4 interview was wrong. But he said Carmichael did not specify how it was incorrect.
Scott said he believed Carmichael’s lies were political, not personal. The Sturgeon story echoed the widely held belief the SNP wanted a Tory victory to improve its chances of building support for independence. The MSP said he believed Carmichael’s lies were political, not personal. The Sturgeon story echoed the widely held belief that the SNP wanted a Tory victory to improve its chances of building support for independence.
Carmichael’s denial of involvement was very similar to Alex Salmond’s dishonesty in a BBC interview in 2012 about his government’s non-existent legal advice on an independent Scotland’s membership of the EU. The then first minister knew that membership was a major political question for voters.Carmichael’s denial of involvement was very similar to Alex Salmond’s dishonesty in a BBC interview in 2012 about his government’s non-existent legal advice on an independent Scotland’s membership of the EU. The then first minister knew that membership was a major political question for voters.
“I think the best idea is not to lie in politics; it doesn’t do you much good,” Scott told the court.“I think the best idea is not to lie in politics; it doesn’t do you much good,” Scott told the court.
The court, which is sitting as a subcommittee of the House of Commons under the Representation of the People Act, heard detailed legal arguments in September about the legal merits of the case against Carmichael.The court, which is sitting as a subcommittee of the House of Commons under the Representation of the People Act, heard detailed legal arguments in September about the legal merits of the case against Carmichael.
In a blow to the MP, Lady Paton and Lord Matthews ruled that it was legally permissible for Carmichael to be held to account for “self talking” – for lying about his conduct in an effort to paint himself in a positive light for electoral reasons. In a blow to the MP, Lady Paton and Lord Matthews ruled that it was legally permissible for Carmichael to be held to account for “self-talking” – for lying about his conduct in an effort to paint himself in a positive light for electoral reasons.
The court now has to judge whether the MP’s lies about his role were intended to mislead his own constituents. He insists he was speaking solely in his role as Scottish secretary, in connection with a newspaper article, and not about his general election campaign.The court now has to judge whether the MP’s lies about his role were intended to mislead his own constituents. He insists he was speaking solely in his role as Scottish secretary, in connection with a newspaper article, and not about his general election campaign.
The hearing is expected to finish by Thursday.The hearing is expected to finish by Thursday.