There is something rotten in Scottish politics

It is now two years since Nicola Sturgeon accepted the need for a parliamentary inquiry into how, and why, her government’s investigation into Alex Salmond was so thoroughly tainted by apparent bias it was unlawful.  

Ever since then, she has repeatedly promised that both she and her government will fully co-operate with the Holyrood committee — set up to investigate the Scottish government’s response to claims of sexual misconduct against her predecessor. Many hollow promises have been made in the still-short history of the Scottish parliament but few have been emptier than this.  

It is necessary to insist upon what the committee is not investigating: it takes no view on the complaints made against Alex Salmond. These have been tested in court already and Salmond, whatever one may think of him, was acquitted on all charges.  

The committee’s remit is solely concerned with the Scottish government’s handling of the initial complaints made against Salmond by two women and the processes it then used to investigate these.