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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Alex Salmond claims 'Scotland's leadership has failed' | Alex Salmond claims 'Scotland's leadership has failed' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Mr Salmond criticises the leadership of the civil service, the Crown Office and Scottish government | Mr Salmond criticises the leadership of the civil service, the Crown Office and Scottish government |
| Alex Salmond has claimed that "Scotland's leadership has failed" as he made his long-awaited appearance at a Scottish Parliament inquiry. | Alex Salmond has claimed that "Scotland's leadership has failed" as he made his long-awaited appearance at a Scottish Parliament inquiry. |
| The former first minister has previously accused people close to his successor Nicola Sturgeon of plotting against him. | The former first minister has previously accused people close to his successor Nicola Sturgeon of plotting against him. |
| The inquiry is examining the Scottish government's botched handling of sexual assault allegations against him. | The inquiry is examining the Scottish government's botched handling of sexual assault allegations against him. |
| Mr Salmond was cleared of 13 charges of sexual assault after a trial last year. | Mr Salmond was cleared of 13 charges of sexual assault after a trial last year. |
| As he started his evidence session at the inquiry, he said no one had yet taken responsibility for his "nightmare" over the past three years. | As he started his evidence session at the inquiry, he said no one had yet taken responsibility for his "nightmare" over the past three years. |
| He said the Scottish government had been found to have "acted illegally" during its investigation into the allegations against him, but "somehow nobody is to blame". | He said the Scottish government had been found to have "acted illegally" during its investigation into the allegations against him, but "somehow nobody is to blame". |
| And he alleged that there had been a "deliberate suppression of information inconvenient to the government" throughout the saga. | And he alleged that there had been a "deliberate suppression of information inconvenient to the government" throughout the saga. |
| Follow live coverage of Mr Salmond's evidence | Follow live coverage of Mr Salmond's evidence |
| What is the Salmond and Sturgeon row all about? | What is the Salmond and Sturgeon row all about? |
| Could Alex Salmond bring down Nicola Sturgeon? | Could Alex Salmond bring down Nicola Sturgeon? |
| The Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon story | The Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon story |
| Mr Salmond added: "The failures of leadership are many and obvious but not a single person has taken responsibility, not a single resignation or sacking, not even admonition. | Mr Salmond added: "The failures of leadership are many and obvious but not a single person has taken responsibility, not a single resignation or sacking, not even admonition. |
| "The Scottish civil service has not failed, its leadership has. The Crown Office has not failed, its leadership has failed. | "The Scottish civil service has not failed, its leadership has. The Crown Office has not failed, its leadership has failed. |
| "Scotland hasn't failed, its leadership has failed." | "Scotland hasn't failed, its leadership has failed." |
| Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon were close political allies for decades - but are now embroiled in a bitter war of words | Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon were close political allies for decades - but are now embroiled in a bitter war of words |
| Mr Salmond also said he was "severely hampered" in what he could say during the session due to the "explicit threat of prosecution if I reveal evidence for which the committee has asked". | Mr Salmond also said he was "severely hampered" in what he could say during the session due to the "explicit threat of prosecution if I reveal evidence for which the committee has asked". |
| Some of his written evidence was redacted on the request of the Crown Office earlier this week after it had already been published in full by the Scottish Parliament. | Some of his written evidence was redacted on the request of the Crown Office earlier this week after it had already been published in full by the Scottish Parliament. |
| Asked by Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser whether he believed the House of Commons would accept a call from the Crown Prosecution Service in England to redact a committee document, Mr Salmond said "the straight answer is no". | Asked by Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser whether he believed the House of Commons would accept a call from the Crown Prosecution Service in England to redact a committee document, Mr Salmond said "the straight answer is no". |
| His written submissions included claims that there had been a "deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted effort" by various people within the Scottish government and the SNP to "damage my reputation, even to the extent of having me imprisoned". | His written submissions included claims that there had been a "deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted effort" by various people within the Scottish government and the SNP to "damage my reputation, even to the extent of having me imprisoned". |
| Those named by Mr Salmond included Ms Sturgeon's husband, Peter Murrell, who is the chief executive of the SNP. | Those named by Mr Salmond included Ms Sturgeon's husband, Peter Murrell, who is the chief executive of the SNP. |
| Mr Salmond's written evidence also directly took aim at Ms Sturgeon, accusing her of "repeatedly" misleading parliament about her involvement in the row and of breaching the ministerial code. | Mr Salmond's written evidence also directly took aim at Ms Sturgeon, accusing her of "repeatedly" misleading parliament about her involvement in the row and of breaching the ministerial code. |
| And he claimed there had been a "complete breakdown of the necessary barriers which should exist between government, political party and indeed the prosecution authorities". | And he claimed there had been a "complete breakdown of the necessary barriers which should exist between government, political party and indeed the prosecution authorities". |
| Mr Salmond was cleared of all 13 charges of sexual assault against a total of nine women after a High Court trial in March of last year | Mr Salmond was cleared of all 13 charges of sexual assault against a total of nine women after a High Court trial in March of last year |
| Ms Sturgeon has denied there was any conspiracy against Mr Salmond, and has said she is "relishing" the prospect of giving evidence to the committee next week. | Ms Sturgeon has denied there was any conspiracy against Mr Salmond, and has said she is "relishing" the prospect of giving evidence to the committee next week. |
| Answering questions from journalists at her daily coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, she said: "I don't think there is a shred of evidence behind those allegations and the claims that have been made" by Mr Salmond. | Answering questions from journalists at her daily coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, she said: "I don't think there is a shred of evidence behind those allegations and the claims that have been made" by Mr Salmond. |
| She claimed that Mr Salmond had created an "alternative reality in which the organs of the state - not just me, the SNP and the civil service and the Crown Office and the police and women who came forward - were all part of some wild conspiracy against him for reasons I can't explain". | She claimed that Mr Salmond had created an "alternative reality in which the organs of the state - not just me, the SNP and the civil service and the Crown Office and the police and women who came forward - were all part of some wild conspiracy against him for reasons I can't explain". |
| And she added: "Maybe that's easier than just accepting that at the root of all this might just have been issues in his own behaviour." | And she added: "Maybe that's easier than just accepting that at the root of all this might just have been issues in his own behaviour." |
| 'Hurt and shock' | 'Hurt and shock' |
| The Holyrood session with Mr Salmond, which began at 12:30, had been delayed on several occasions. | |
| As he made his opening statement, Mr Salmond said he had "watched in astonishment" on Wednesday as Ms Sturgeon "used a Covid press conference to effectively question the result of a jury". | As he made his opening statement, Mr Salmond said he had "watched in astonishment" on Wednesday as Ms Sturgeon "used a Covid press conference to effectively question the result of a jury". |
| He added: "I said nothing - well today that changes." | He added: "I said nothing - well today that changes." |
| Mr Salmond said he had "no incentive or advantage in revisiting the hurt and shock of the last three years". | Mr Salmond said he had "no incentive or advantage in revisiting the hurt and shock of the last three years". |
| But he added: "We can't turn the page or move on until the decision-making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed." | But he added: "We can't turn the page or move on until the decision-making which is undermining the system of government in Scotland is addressed." |
| He said the country's "move to independence" - which he has campaigned for throughout his political life - "must be accompanied by institutions whose leadership is strong and robust and capable of protecting each and every citizen from arbitrary authority". | He said the country's "move to independence" - which he has campaigned for throughout his political life - "must be accompanied by institutions whose leadership is strong and robust and capable of protecting each and every citizen from arbitrary authority". |
| There has been a lot of detail in this session so far. Mr Salmond's criticisms are broad. | There has been a lot of detail in this session so far. Mr Salmond's criticisms are broad. |
| But perhaps the most extraordinary so far was his attack on leaders of Scotland's key institutions - saying that they had failed. | But perhaps the most extraordinary so far was his attack on leaders of Scotland's key institutions - saying that they had failed. |
| Not only that, but he thinks Scotland needs robust institutions if it is to become independent - something he has fought for his entire public life. | Not only that, but he thinks Scotland needs robust institutions if it is to become independent - something he has fought for his entire public life. |
| He made not have said it explicitly, but some will see that as a suggestion that is not possible under the current leadership - a claim bound to cause damage ten weeks from a crucial Scottish parliament election. | He made not have said it explicitly, but some will see that as a suggestion that is not possible under the current leadership - a claim bound to cause damage ten weeks from a crucial Scottish parliament election. |
| Mr Salmond led the SNP for a total of 20 years and was first minister for seven years before being succeeded in both roles by Ms Sturgeon - who had previously been his deputy and protege. | |
| But the two have become embroiled in an increasingly bitter war of words that has divided the SNP and the wider independence movement. | |
| Asked about how the initial complaints against him came to be published in the Daily Record newspaper, Mr Salmond said he believed there had been a "politically inspired" leak from the government. | Asked about how the initial complaints against him came to be published in the Daily Record newspaper, Mr Salmond said he believed there had been a "politically inspired" leak from the government. |
| And he called for the police to investigate how the information became public, saying it was a "hugely serious matter". | And he called for the police to investigate how the information became public, saying it was a "hugely serious matter". |
| A probe by the Information Commissioner's Office previously found no hard evidence of the leak coming from within government, but said it had "some sympathy" with the idea. | A probe by the Information Commissioner's Office previously found no hard evidence of the leak coming from within government, but said it had "some sympathy" with the idea. |
| Meanwhile, Labour's Jackie Baillie asked Mr Salmond if the name of one of the complainers in his criminal trial had been shared with his former chief of staff while a meeting with Nicola Sturgeon was being arranged. | Meanwhile, Labour's Jackie Baillie asked Mr Salmond if the name of one of the complainers in his criminal trial had been shared with his former chief of staff while a meeting with Nicola Sturgeon was being arranged. |
| This echoed a question the MSP had put to Ms Sturgeon at Holyrood on Thursday, with the first minister saying that "to the best of my knowledge I do not think that happened". | This echoed a question the MSP had put to Ms Sturgeon at Holyrood on Thursday, with the first minister saying that "to the best of my knowledge I do not think that happened". |
| However Mr Salmond said the disclosure had taken place, adding that there were "three other people who know that to be true". | However Mr Salmond said the disclosure had taken place, adding that there were "three other people who know that to be true". |
| He later said he believed the name of a complainer "came up" during a meeting on 2 April 2018 during a meeting with Ms Sturgeon in her Glasgow home. | |
| What is the inquiry looking at? | What is the inquiry looking at? |
| The inquiry committee has been badly delayed, with some members claiming it has faced deliberate obstruction from both the government and Mr Salmond | The inquiry committee has been badly delayed, with some members claiming it has faced deliberate obstruction from both the government and Mr Salmond |
| The cross-party committee of MSPs was set up after the Scottish government admitted its internal investigation into harassment complaints from two female civil servants against Mr Salmond had been unlawful. | The cross-party committee of MSPs was set up after the Scottish government admitted its internal investigation into harassment complaints from two female civil servants against Mr Salmond had been unlawful. |
| The admission resulted in the government having to pay Mr Salmond's legal expenses of more than £500,000. | The admission resulted in the government having to pay Mr Salmond's legal expenses of more than £500,000. |
| A separate inquiry is examining whether Ms Sturgeon breached the ministerial code - which sets out how government ministers should behave - by interfering with the civil service investigation into the allegations, or by lying to parliament. | A separate inquiry is examining whether Ms Sturgeon breached the ministerial code - which sets out how government ministers should behave - by interfering with the civil service investigation into the allegations, or by lying to parliament. |
| The code states that any minister who breaches the code by deliberately misleading parliament would be expected to resign. | The code states that any minister who breaches the code by deliberately misleading parliament would be expected to resign. |