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Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael admits responsibility for anti-Sturgeon leak Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael admits responsibility for anti-Sturgeon leak
(about 2 hours later)
Alistair Carmichael, the Lib Dem former Scottish secretary, has come under pressure to resign as an MP after admitting being responsible for an election leak intended to damage Nicola Sturgeon.Alistair Carmichael, the Lib Dem former Scottish secretary, has come under pressure to resign as an MP after admitting being responsible for an election leak intended to damage Nicola Sturgeon.
Carmichael said he authorised his special adviser to release a memo about a private conversation in which Scotland’s first minister purportedly said she wanted David Cameron to remain as prime minister. As a consequence neither he nor his adviser would be taking the severance pay they were due, the Lib Dem MP for Orkney and Shetland said.Carmichael said he authorised his special adviser to release a memo about a private conversation in which Scotland’s first minister purportedly said she wanted David Cameron to remain as prime minister. As a consequence neither he nor his adviser would be taking the severance pay they were due, the Lib Dem MP for Orkney and Shetland said.
Describing his action as “an error of judgment”, Carmichael said he had apologised tothe SNP leader and that, if he had still been a minister, this would have been a resigning matter. He added that he accepted the memo was wrong about Sturgeon being pro-Cameron.Describing his action as “an error of judgment”, Carmichael said he had apologised tothe SNP leader and that, if he had still been a minister, this would have been a resigning matter. He added that he accepted the memo was wrong about Sturgeon being pro-Cameron.
But Sturgeon said Carmichael should consider quitting parliament because, after the incriminating memo was published in the Daily Telegraph, he lied about his involvement in its release.But Sturgeon said Carmichael should consider quitting parliament because, after the incriminating memo was published in the Daily Telegraph, he lied about his involvement in its release.
The memo was potentially hugely damaging to the SNP leader because it suggested she was misleading voters about her preferred election outcome. The document was a note taken by a Scotland Office civil servant recording a conversation with the French consul general in which the envoy recounted the contents of a private discussion between Sturgeon and the French ambassador.The memo was potentially hugely damaging to the SNP leader because it suggested she was misleading voters about her preferred election outcome. The document was a note taken by a Scotland Office civil servant recording a conversation with the French consul general in which the envoy recounted the contents of a private discussion between Sturgeon and the French ambassador.
According to the note, written in March 2015, Sturgeon said she would “rather see David Cameron remain as PM” and “didn’t see Ed Miliband as PM material”.According to the note, written in March 2015, Sturgeon said she would “rather see David Cameron remain as PM” and “didn’t see Ed Miliband as PM material”.
Sturgeon denied ever saying this after the story was published near the start of the election campaign and her account was corroborated by the French embassy.Sturgeon denied ever saying this after the story was published near the start of the election campaign and her account was corroborated by the French embassy.
She also asked Sir Jeremy Heywood, the cabinet secretary, to conduct a leak inquiry, and Carmichael went public with his confession and apology after the findings of that inquiry were published on Friday afternoon.She also asked Sir Jeremy Heywood, the cabinet secretary, to conduct a leak inquiry, and Carmichael went public with his confession and apology after the findings of that inquiry were published on Friday afternoon.
The Cabinet Office discovered that an official mobile phone belonging to Euan Roddin, Carmichael’s special adviser, had been used to contact one of the reporters who wrote the Telegraph story. Roddin then confirmed that he had given the memo to the the newspaper, arguing that the leak was in the public interest and that the public needed to know what Sturgeon thought. The Cabinet Office discovered that an official mobile phone belonging to Euan Roddin, Carmichael’s special adviser, had been used to contact one of the reporters who wrote the Telegraph story. Roddin then confirmed that he had given the memo to the newspaper, arguing that the leak was in the public interest.
Carmichael told the investigation team that he had discussed the leak with Roddin and that he had authorised it, but that he now recognised this was wrong.Carmichael told the investigation team that he had discussed the leak with Roddin and that he had authorised it, but that he now recognised this was wrong.
Speaking to the BBC, Carmichael said: “It was something that I could have stopped and very much should have stopped. That was an error of judgment on my part, I deeply regret it, and for the consequences of that error of judgment, I’ve apologised to the first minister and to the French ambassador.Speaking to the BBC, Carmichael said: “It was something that I could have stopped and very much should have stopped. That was an error of judgment on my part, I deeply regret it, and for the consequences of that error of judgment, I’ve apologised to the first minister and to the French ambassador.
“If I were still a cabinet minister at this point I would tender my resignation obviously the Liberal Democrats are no longer in government, so I’ve not. But I have said to the cabinet secretary that I will not accept the ministerial severance payment that is normally offered to ministers when they leave office.” “If I were still a cabinet minister at this point, I would tender my resignation; obviously the Liberal Democrats are no longer in government, so I’ve not. But I have said to the cabinet secretary that I will not accept the ministerial severance payment that is normally offered to ministers when they leave office.”
Losing their severance pay will cost Carmichael £16,876, and Roddin at least £15,500.Losing their severance pay will cost Carmichael £16,876, and Roddin at least £15,500.
After the leak was first published, the Lib Dems were widely suspected of being to blame, partly because Carmichael controlled the Scotland Office and partly because the party had much greater interest in halting the SNP surge than the Tories, who were only defending one seat in Scotland and were keen to see the SNP destroy Scottish Labour. Cameron even publicly suggested that the Lib Dems were the culprits. After the leak was published, the Lib Dems were widely suspected of being to blame, partly because Carmichael controlled the Scotland Office and partly because the party had much greater interest in halting the SNP surge than the Tories, who were only defending one seat in Scotland and were keen to see the SNP destroy Scottish Labour. Cameron even publicly suggested that the Lib Dems were the culprits.
At the time Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, said that was “silly”, and Carmichael said he did not know anything about the matter until he was contacted by a journalist. At the time Nick Clegg, the then Lib Dem leader, said that was silly, and Carmichael said he did not know anything about the matter until he was contacted by a journalist.
Sturgeon said on Friday that, while she accepted Carmichael’s apology, he should now consider standing down as an MP. Sturgeon said on Friday that while she accepted Carmichael’s apology, he should consider standing down as an MP.
I have received letter from @acarmichaelmp apologising for leak and accepting that contents of memo not correct pic.twitter.com/k6Kkt8dkwCI have received letter from @acarmichaelmp apologising for leak and accepting that contents of memo not correct pic.twitter.com/k6Kkt8dkwC
“I accept his apology, but the real issue is that he should be apologising to the people of Orkney and Shetland, because he clearly contested the election on false pretences,” she said.“I accept his apology, but the real issue is that he should be apologising to the people of Orkney and Shetland, because he clearly contested the election on false pretences,” she said.
“Mr Carmichael said at the time that the first he was aware of this matter was when he received a call from a journalist, but we now know that this is simply untrue. As well as the original dirty trick, which was bad enough, Mr Carmichael then tried to cover it up – and is only admitting it now because he got caught. He needs to seriously reflect on that – and reflect on whether his actions and attempt to cover them up are consistent with his position as an honourable member of the House of Commons.”“Mr Carmichael said at the time that the first he was aware of this matter was when he received a call from a journalist, but we now know that this is simply untrue. As well as the original dirty trick, which was bad enough, Mr Carmichael then tried to cover it up – and is only admitting it now because he got caught. He needs to seriously reflect on that – and reflect on whether his actions and attempt to cover them up are consistent with his position as an honourable member of the House of Commons.”
Although Sturgeon and the French embassy have always denied that she said she favoured Cameron staying on as prime minister, other parts of the conversation recorded in the memo, including her saying she had no idea “what kind of mischief” Alex Salmond, the former SNP leader, would get up to at Westminster, have not been denied. Although Sturgeon and the French embassy have always denied that she said she favoured Cameron as prime minister, other parts of the conversation recorded in the memo – including her saying she had no idea “what kind of mischief” Alex Salmond, the former SNP leader, would get up to at Westminster – have not been denied.
The Cabinet Office investigation concluded that the civil servant who recorded his conversation with the French consular general was reliable and had acted in good faith. But it also pointed out that the envoy admitted in the memo that part of his conversation may have been “lost in translation”. The Cabinet Office investigation concluded that the civil servant who recorded his conversation with the French consul general was reliable and had acted in good faith. But it also pointed out that the envoy admitted in the memo that part of his conversation may have been “lost in translation”.