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| Nicola Sturgeon rejects opposition claim 'something rotten at core of SNP' - live updates | Nicola Sturgeon rejects opposition claim 'something rotten at core of SNP' - live updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Scottish first minister questioned about Alex Salmond claims at first minister’s questions | Scottish first minister questioned about Alex Salmond claims at first minister’s questions |
| Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, has announced further sanctions against members of the Myanmar military for their part in the coup that has deposed the democratic leadership. Six more military figures of the state administration council face sanctions for serious human rights violations, on top of the 19 previously listed by the UK, the Foreign Office said. | |
| Sir Keir Starmer has posted a tweet saying it is “outrageous” that Serco is paying a dividend to shareholders. (See 9.47am and 11.20am.) | |
| Louise Haigh, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, has criticised the Conservative European Research Group for calling for the Northern Ireland protocol to be abandoned. (See 11.32am.) She said: | |
| Boris Johnson has described the plans for school exam grades in England to be based on teacher assessments as a good compromise. Speaking on a visit to Accrington academy in Lancashire, he said: | |
| He also insisted he had confidence in the much-criticised education secretary, Gavin Williamson. Asked if he did, he replied: “Of course, and I think that what we are doing is the right thing to get all our students, our pupils, back on March 8. | He also insisted he had confidence in the much-criticised education secretary, Gavin Williamson. Asked if he did, he replied: “Of course, and I think that what we are doing is the right thing to get all our students, our pupils, back on March 8. |
| Here are two tweets on first minister’s questions from opposition MSPs. | Here are two tweets on first minister’s questions from opposition MSPs. |
| From Willie Rennie, the Scottish Lib Dem leader | From Willie Rennie, the Scottish Lib Dem leader |
| From Adam Tomkins, a Scottish Conservative and convenor of the parliament’s justice committee | From Adam Tomkins, a Scottish Conservative and convenor of the parliament’s justice committee |
| And this is from the SNP’s Humza Yousaf, the Scottish government’s justice minister | And this is from the SNP’s Humza Yousaf, the Scottish government’s justice minister |
| Here is a clip of Jackie Baillie, the acting Scottish Labour leader at Holyrood, telling Nicola Sturgeon at FMQs there is “something rotten at the core of the SNP and it is poisoning our democratic institutions”. | |
| Sturgeon said what was poisoning institutions was politicians “hurling assertions and accusations without a shred of evidence to back them up”. | |
| She also said that Baillie was acting like a spokesperson for Alex Salmond. But when Salmond was in the Scottish parliament, Baillie did not believe a word he said, she said. | |
| Willie Rennie, the Lib Dem leader, asks Sturgeon if the name of a complainant was handed over to Alex Salmond. | Willie Rennie, the Lib Dem leader, asks Sturgeon if the name of a complainant was handed over to Alex Salmond. |
| Sturgeon says to the best of her knowledge that did not happen. | Sturgeon says to the best of her knowledge that did not happen. |
| So are people lying, Rennie asks. | So are people lying, Rennie asks. |
| Sturgeon says a process is underway that is investigating this. | Sturgeon says a process is underway that is investigating this. |
| Jackie Baillie, the acting Labour leader, asks who authorised a meeting with Alex Salmond’s former chief of staff. | Jackie Baillie, the acting Labour leader, asks who authorised a meeting with Alex Salmond’s former chief of staff. |
| Sturgeon says Baillie is accepting Salmond’s version of this. She doesn’t, she says. | Sturgeon says Baillie is accepting Salmond’s version of this. She doesn’t, she says. |
| She says she wants a culture where people feel able to come forward with sexual harassment allegations. Accepting Salmond’s account of events is not a good way of promoting that culture, she says. | She says she wants a culture where people feel able to come forward with sexual harassment allegations. Accepting Salmond’s account of events is not a good way of promoting that culture, she says. |
| Baillie says standing up for women takes more than warm words. She says it is beyond belief that anyone would pass on the name of a complainant. | Baillie says standing up for women takes more than warm words. She says it is beyond belief that anyone would pass on the name of a complainant. |
| Given what Sturgeon said about Salmond in her briefing yesterday, why did she agree to meet Salmond? | Given what Sturgeon said about Salmond in her briefing yesterday, why did she agree to meet Salmond? |
| Sturgeon says Salmond claims the name of a complainant was given. That does not mean it is true, she says. She says she did not seek to intervene. | Sturgeon says Salmond claims the name of a complainant was given. That does not mean it is true, she says. She says she did not seek to intervene. |
| She says some time ago Baillie gave an interview suggesting she should have intervened to promote mediation. Sometimes she is accused of intervening; sometimes of not intervening, she says. | She says some time ago Baillie gave an interview suggesting she should have intervened to promote mediation. Sometimes she is accused of intervening; sometimes of not intervening, she says. |
| She says in the past these allegations might have been “swept under the carpet”. But she does not regret not doing this. | She says in the past these allegations might have been “swept under the carpet”. But she does not regret not doing this. |
| Davidson says Sturgeon has been desperate to shut down comment on the secret meeting in her office, which suggests she misled parliament about when she first heard of the allegations against Alex Salmond. She says this looks like a cover-up. | Davidson says Sturgeon has been desperate to shut down comment on the secret meeting in her office, which suggests she misled parliament about when she first heard of the allegations against Alex Salmond. She says this looks like a cover-up. |
| Sturgeon says she has already submitted written evidence on this. So it cannot be a cover-up. The evidence is on the Scottish parliament’s website. She will give evidence on Wednesday. This was the sixth date given for this hearing, because it has been repeatedly postponed. | Sturgeon says she has already submitted written evidence on this. So it cannot be a cover-up. The evidence is on the Scottish parliament’s website. She will give evidence on Wednesday. This was the sixth date given for this hearing, because it has been repeatedly postponed. |
| Just because Davidson does not like this government, she should not trash the reputation of legal officers. She says their reputation is being sacrificed on the “altar of the ego of one man”. | Just because Davidson does not like this government, she should not trash the reputation of legal officers. She says their reputation is being sacrificed on the “altar of the ego of one man”. |
| Davidson says a culture of secrets and cover-up is growing. “Is saving your own skin worth all the damage your are doing?” | Davidson says a culture of secrets and cover-up is growing. “Is saving your own skin worth all the damage your are doing?” |
| Sturgeon says what matters to her is the integrity of our institutions. She says Davidson’s own reputation is at risk. She has provided “a litany of nonsense”. It cannot be a cover-up if she is giving evidence. It used to be possible to have a proper debate “without a scorched earth policy of conspiracy theory”. | Sturgeon says what matters to her is the integrity of our institutions. She says Davidson’s own reputation is at risk. She has provided “a litany of nonsense”. It cannot be a cover-up if she is giving evidence. It used to be possible to have a proper debate “without a scorched earth policy of conspiracy theory”. |
| She says Davidson talks about democratic integrity. But she is about to take a seat in the House of Lords and pursue a political career without the endorsement of voters. | She says Davidson talks about democratic integrity. But she is about to take a seat in the House of Lords and pursue a political career without the endorsement of voters. |
| Ruth Davidson, the Tory leader at Holyrood, says Sturgeon said she had nothing to hide in relation to this affair. So will she publish her evidence to the Hamilton inquiry? | Ruth Davidson, the Tory leader at Holyrood, says Sturgeon said she had nothing to hide in relation to this affair. So will she publish her evidence to the Hamilton inquiry? |
| Sturgeon says she has no problem with that being published. But that is up to James Hamilton. | Sturgeon says she has no problem with that being published. But that is up to James Hamilton. |
| Davidson says on Monday Sturgeon summoned journalists to her office and challenged Alex Salmond to provide his evidence. But when Salmond did publish, bits of of evidence were removed. | Davidson says on Monday Sturgeon summoned journalists to her office and challenged Alex Salmond to provide his evidence. But when Salmond did publish, bits of of evidence were removed. |
| Sturgeon says the fact that Davidson is quoting Salmond’s claims means they are in the public realm. She says she expects to be questioned on these matters when she gives evidence to the comittee next week. | Sturgeon says the fact that Davidson is quoting Salmond’s claims means they are in the public realm. She says she expects to be questioned on these matters when she gives evidence to the comittee next week. |
| Scrutiny of her, and of the Scottish government, is not just legitimate; it is necessary, she says. She says she looks forward to giving her evidence. But anyone suggesting that there was political interference in prosecution decisions are wrong. It is a “deluded” theory, she says. | Scrutiny of her, and of the Scottish government, is not just legitimate; it is necessary, she says. She says she looks forward to giving her evidence. But anyone suggesting that there was political interference in prosecution decisions are wrong. It is a “deluded” theory, she says. |
| She says politics is not for the faint-hearted. But politicians should not trash the reputation of people doing their jobs. | She says politics is not for the faint-hearted. But politicians should not trash the reputation of people doing their jobs. |
| Nicola Sturgeon is taking first minister’s questions in the Scottish parliament. | Nicola Sturgeon is taking first minister’s questions in the Scottish parliament. |
| Here is our latest story about the latest in her feud with Alex Salmond. | Here is our latest story about the latest in her feud with Alex Salmond. |
| This is what Ealing council in London is saying about the decision to extend surge testing in the borough. (See 11.37am.) | This is what Ealing council in London is saying about the decision to extend surge testing in the borough. (See 11.37am.) |
| The new surge testing initiative in the borough will build on one launched at the start of the month, which just covered Hanwell and West Ealing. | The new surge testing initiative in the borough will build on one launched at the start of the month, which just covered Hanwell and West Ealing. |
| Responding to Williamson, Kate Green, the shadow education secretary, says Williamson blamed the algorithm for what happened last summer. But the algorithm was not responsible; he was. | Responding to Williamson, Kate Green, the shadow education secretary, says Williamson blamed the algorithm for what happened last summer. But the algorithm was not responsible; he was. |
| She says the government should have started training teachers to carry out the new assessments weeks ago. | She says the government should have started training teachers to carry out the new assessments weeks ago. |
| And she says the money announced for catch-up programmes is not enough. It amounts to just 43p per pupil per day, she says. | And she says the money announced for catch-up programmes is not enough. It amounts to just 43p per pupil per day, she says. |