Amid the wreckage of a Brexit process that has disrupted every aspect of British political life, it is easy to forget that it is not the only drama currently playing. Nor is Theresa May the only political leader who has no need to go searching for trouble. Michael Gove openly warns that ‘winter is coming’ for Westminster, but in the north it has already arrived. In Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon faces the biggest crisis of her career. It is one that may yet destroy her.
Civil war is always uglier than your standard political conflict. We have the First Minister complaining that she is the victim of a ‘smear’ campaign and a ‘vendetta’ launched against her by, astonishingly, her predecessor, Alex Salmond. His allies say exactly the same: that his successor is seeking to destroy what’s left of both his political career and his reputation. Salmond complains that his enemies see him as a ‘political threat’ who must be silenced, once and for all.
It is, by any standards, a remarkable story and one that cannot end happily. Salmond’s legacy hinges upon the outcome but so does Sturgeon’s future and so, perhaps, might the future of Scotland and the United Kingdom.
The #MeToo moment arrived in Scotland a little later than in Westminster but, as we shall see, with greater impact. Two women made allegations of sexual misconduct against Salmond, dating back to 2013 when he was first minister and in his pomp. According to the official version of events, this was handled by the civil service.
This internal inquiry eventually produced evidence deemed sufficiently serious as to require police involvement. While the police investigation into sexual harassment is ongoing, Salmond complained that he had been treated unfairly by the investigation process.
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