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Alex Salmond: I believe Observer journalists accessed my bank account Alex Salmond: I believe Observer journalists accessed my bank account
(about 3 hours later)
Alex Salmond, the Scottish first minister, told the Leveson inquiry that he believed his bank account was accessed by the Observer in 1999.Alex Salmond, the Scottish first minister, told the Leveson inquiry that he believed his bank account was accessed by the Observer in 1999.
Salmond, giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry on Wednesday, said "a former Observer journalist" told him information about a purchase he made from a toyshop called Fun and Games, a detail that he said "could only have been known by somebody who had full access to my bank account at that stage".Salmond, giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry on Wednesday, said "a former Observer journalist" told him information about a purchase he made from a toyshop called Fun and Games, a detail that he said "could only have been known by somebody who had full access to my bank account at that stage".
The politician said he believed it happened in the runup to the 1999 Scottish elections and was told about it by the unidentified former Observer reporter a year later.The politician said he believed it happened in the runup to the 1999 Scottish elections and was told about it by the unidentified former Observer reporter a year later.
"I had bought some toys for my then, at that time, young nieces in a toy shop which was called Fun and Games, and the person who informed me told me that this caused great anticipation and hope in the Observer investigation unit because they believed that perhaps Fun and Games was more than a conventional toy shop," said Salmond."I had bought some toys for my then, at that time, young nieces in a toy shop which was called Fun and Games, and the person who informed me told me that this caused great anticipation and hope in the Observer investigation unit because they believed that perhaps Fun and Games was more than a conventional toy shop," said Salmond.
Salmond said that he had been told that it caused "enormous disappointment" at the newspaper "when it turned out" that Fun and Games was "just a toy shop".Salmond said that he had been told that it caused "enormous disappointment" at the newspaper "when it turned out" that Fun and Games was "just a toy shop".
Guardian News & Media, publisher of the Observer, said that Alex Salmond first raised the subject in a letter written to the Observer's editor John Mulholland dated 22 July 2011.Guardian News & Media, publisher of the Observer, said that Alex Salmond first raised the subject in a letter written to the Observer's editor John Mulholland dated 22 July 2011.
A spokesperson for the publisher, which also publishes the Guardian, said: "The allegation was that a journalist working for the Observer had accessed his bank details in 1999. As we explained to him last year, on the basis of the information he had given us, we have been unable to find any evidence to substantiate his allegation. As our response to him at the time made clear, we take this allegation very seriously, and if he is able to provide us with any more information we will investigate further."A spokesperson for the publisher, which also publishes the Guardian, said: "The allegation was that a journalist working for the Observer had accessed his bank details in 1999. As we explained to him last year, on the basis of the information he had given us, we have been unable to find any evidence to substantiate his allegation. As our response to him at the time made clear, we take this allegation very seriously, and if he is able to provide us with any more information we will investigate further."
Guardian News & Media also released an exchange of letters with the first minister. In his letter to Mulholland, Salmond wrote that it had been "brought to my attention" that there was a "strong suggestion that journalists working for the Observer accessed my bank account details in 1999". He asked if there was "any truth or substance to these claims," and noted that "no story emerged" at the time "presumably because there was nothing worth reporting".Guardian News & Media also released an exchange of letters with the first minister. In his letter to Mulholland, Salmond wrote that it had been "brought to my attention" that there was a "strong suggestion that journalists working for the Observer accessed my bank account details in 1999". He asked if there was "any truth or substance to these claims," and noted that "no story emerged" at the time "presumably because there was nothing worth reporting".
Five days later, Jan Thompson, the managing editor of Guardian News & Media, replied on Mulholland's behalf, saying that "on the basis of the information you have sent us, we can find no evidence of this". Thompson asked for Salmond to provide "more information" so that "we can either look into it ourselves or pass it on to the relevant inquiry".Five days later, Jan Thompson, the managing editor of Guardian News & Media, replied on Mulholland's behalf, saying that "on the basis of the information you have sent us, we can find no evidence of this". Thompson asked for Salmond to provide "more information" so that "we can either look into it ourselves or pass it on to the relevant inquiry".
At Leveson, Salmond said he had no evidence that his phone had ever been hacked but said he believed there was a "substantial case" that improper practices were "rife across many newspaper titles".At Leveson, Salmond said he had no evidence that his phone had ever been hacked but said he believed there was a "substantial case" that improper practices were "rife across many newspaper titles".
"I think until very recently you might have considered this to be, if not exclusively then largely, a Fleet Street English issue in terms of potential breaches of the law," he told the inquiry."I think until very recently you might have considered this to be, if not exclusively then largely, a Fleet Street English issue in terms of potential breaches of the law," he told the inquiry.
"I think there are other aspects of press behaviour which are very similar north and south of the border. But more recently I think we'd have to accept, given the information which has now been into the hands of the police in Scotland, there are significant, perhaps proportionately less but significant, Scottish examples of possible criminality.""I think there are other aspects of press behaviour which are very similar north and south of the border. But more recently I think we'd have to accept, given the information which has now been into the hands of the police in Scotland, there are significant, perhaps proportionately less but significant, Scottish examples of possible criminality."
Salmond also confirmed that he did ask Rupert and James Murdoch about winning their paper's editorial support for the Scottish National party. In his written evidence, he said: "In relation to questions about support from particular titles any such discussion with Rupert or James Murdoch was always met with a request to talk directly to the relevant editorial team."
Jay pressed Salmond on why his views about the Murdochs' direct influence over their papers' editorial policies contradicted the statements from many other witnesses that the Murdochs dictated or oversaw the editorial line each paper took. Salmond said his experience was very different.
In his personal testimony to the inquiry on Wednesday, Salmond appeared to contradict that however, saying he did not "explicitly" ask the Murdochs to back the SNP and his leadership. "I don't think I have ever explicitly asked him to support the party, because the answer was 'go to the editors and argue the position'."
He confirmed, however, briefing Rupert Murdoch about his plans to cut corporation tax if Scotland became independent, when they met in Edinburgh in February. Two previous Murdoch editors, Andrew Neil and Kelvin McKenzie, both claim Murdoch hinted he would move BskyB's headquarters to Scotland if that happened: an issue not raised with Salmond by Robert Jay, the Leveson enquiry counsel.
Questioned by Jay on Wednesday, the first minister repeatedly denied there was any direct linkage made between his quest for the Sun's political backing and his decision to support the Murdochs' bid to win control of BskyB in 2010 and 2011.
Salmond insisted he was right to offer to support the Murdochs' BskyB takeover bid, by lobbying UK ministers, because BskyB was one of Scotland's ten largest employers, with about 36% of its total employment based at Scottish sites.
James Murdoch had said that News Corps' takeover would help it consolidate BskyB's operations and step up investment in European digital operations.
"They're in the top ten of Scottish private sector employers so it's a matter of great importance," he said. "The expansion of digital platforms in Europe would result in additional investment, and Scotland would be well placed to benefit."
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