Allegations against Alex Salmond.

Aside from the Alex Salmond issue, who are the "SNP bashers"? I've been on GN for years and never witnessed that? When did that happen?

Nicola Sturgeon is in an awful position. Her statement is absolutely fine under these difficult circumstances for her. Can't help wondering what's going on behind the scenes. Obviously I watch too much TV!

SNP bashers?
Nope, haven’t seen any.
I’ve nothing to add to that about Salmond, why condemn before hearing the outcome.

SNP bashers ? Rubbish, I can only speak for myself but I have no interest in the DNP , nothing to praise, nothing to critcise .

If the allegations are untrue I hope a full apology will be made to the man by his accusers

SNP bashers? Not seen any either.

I am treating this topic as if it was sub-judice and not commenting or even having an opinion on it.

Not a fan of Alex Salmond, but I find this accusation quite extraordinary and unbelievable! Why haven't these accusers come forward before now?!! very curious!! Poor man, if innocent, (which I sincerely hope and believe he is,) he certainly doesn't deserve any of this, and the perpetrators should be severely punished.

Watching the news it sounds like this emerged months ago and has been going through the right procedures.
I do feel sorry for Nicola.

Salmon's deserves to not be judged by a ' kangaroo court' the same as others.

It's a pity that does not/ did not apply to other MP's past and present .

There have been many Parliamentarians and even Gransnet posters who have looked extremely foolish over the years because they have tried to point score .

So no SNP basher here paddyann I hope the outcome of this débâcle is concluded and the right conclusion is arrived at.

I’ve met him on a number of occasions, and my ‘ sleazeball’ detector remained at zero.

Surely this is subjudiciary? So should Nicola Sturgeon be commenting?

All would have stayed quietly under the media radar if Salmond hadn't alerted the journalists.

Because one disagrees with someone politically on certain points does not make one a 'basher'.

I think Nicola Sturgeon had to make a statement if Salmond hadn't alerted the msm as Jane10 says he has done. It is a very reasonable statement.

It does sound as if the correct procedure is being followed.

had not hadn't!

Not so Jane10 " However, I was informed by the Permanent Secretary earlier this week that she had completed her investigation and that she intended to make the fact of the complaints public.

I have been shaken to the core today by this news. Having known AS for 40 odd years and spoken with/sat beside him at numerous conferences, fundraisers and campaigning events, I find the allegations unbelievable. LikeDadima my 'sleazeball detector' has never fluttered in his company (unlike some others where my immediate feelings have later proved well founded). I have also met his wife Moira - a lovely warm lady - quite often and observed their comfortable, compatible, supportive relationship.

Either my life long trust in my gut feelings and instinct has been shattered or AS is the victim of a dastardly plot to discredit him. I don't know which of these conclusions is worse.

I heard it last nightGranny23 and like you was shocked to the core.I'd stake my life on the fact that Alex Salmond isn't guilty .He is and always has been a good man ..human ,but dedicated to the service of Scotland .Right from he was a teen .There have been many attempts to dig dirt on him and none have ever succeeded.Someone has it in for him .
I've seen it online for a long time .The awful comments because his lovely wife is a decade or more older than him ,the people who "hate " him for no reason just because .

Nicola has done the right thing,of course it had to be treated the same as any other complaint,but everyone who has ever met him will struggle to believe he is capable of sexual harrassment .Its farcical.

Maybe not my favourite politician (who is?) but I find this very hard to credit.
One thing I don't understand is why if a person has been harassed or assaulted, it should take years to lodge a complaint. Wonen are no longer shrinking violets.
Memories are not infallible and it can be hard to remember enough detail to refute such allegations. Is #me too just a bandwagon to be jumped on?

Sounds like it's been grinding it's way through the system for ages. Goodness knows what's going on behind the scenes. It all seems odd. Salmond has jumped first by taking the Scottish Government to court. Why not wait until the permanent Secretary actually revealed the details? Then there would be something to go on. I suppose the media would have found out eventually but this has pre empted what might have happened. It could all have been a storm in a teacup. As it is its all over the news.
Re sleazometers. You never can tell. Look at all those priests in Ireland and elsewhere who must have been respected members of the community yet abused children and young women.
For what it's worth I don't think Salmond could have done anything like that but only because it would have been incredibly stupid. But anything'possible.

The Permanent Secretary compiled the harassment at work legislation at the behest of the Scottish Government who were responding to the 'Me Too' campaigns. It is not legislation for the whole of the Country but rather an addition to the Code of Conduct for employees of the Scottish Government'. It was adopted by the SG at the end of last year and I understand that the complaints were made at the beginning of this year. Part of the legal argument is that AS is no longer 'employed' by the SG and these new rules were not in force when he was. Also as an ex employee he has no right to know the details of the complaint nor to challenge them within the system. He has been specifically barred from contacting SG civil servants who were part of his staff during his tenure as First Minister.

AS is not suing the SG as the media have portrayed it, rather he is asking for Judicial Revue of the process which has led to this point. More of an Industrial Tribunal than a political matter.

Lots of background info in the 'Scotsman' today.
Salmond withdrew a separate bid seeking to block the Scottish government from revealing the two allegations against him after the Daily Record published the information.
The permanent Secretary in her formal statement said ' his statement contains significant inaccuracies which will be addressed in court proceedings. The Scottish government will defend its position vigorously'.

I am not Scottish, have no connection to Scotland and no feelings one way or the other about Alex Salmond, so perhaps I shouldn't be commenting. However, I do find it strange that he is no right to know the details of the complaint. How can he defend himself if he doesn't know exactly what he is accused of.

That is a principal that many MP's have come up against but it hasn't stopped the kangaroo court who usually behave in an accusatory manner , sometimes verging on slander to promote their political allegiance.

The worst of them all was the Westminster Peadophile Ring accusations that were based on lies, political point scoring and the public being spurred on by those who see Social Class to be ' fair game ' .

I have no idea if he's guilty or not, and don't really care to be honest, but he is certainly very touchy-feely with women judging by the photos online and in the papers, including with a young Nicola Sturgeon where he has her in a tight clinch and looks as if he's about to kiss her. I can see that if you are this demonstrative with women you either work with or meet on the compaign trail, it could be misinterpreted even if it's harmless. I worked with a guy like that and none of us young women wanted to be hugged or touched by him. It's inappropriate.

Listening to Newsnight it seems that a different set of rules apply to this situation than to others where an employer is involved. Regulations there suggest the earlier matters are dealt with the better and that he would be allowed to view all the details except in certain cases the names of the accusers As the complaint was received in Jan and he heard nothing until March and the matter is still on going and he has been refused the information he needs it would seem completely unfair.
Sparklefizz from what I have seen he is touchy-feely with all the women he meets. I'm not keen on this and give out signals to stop it, however it will be a sad day when men are unable to hug women for fear of accusations.

trisher I agree, but there's a time and place for being touchy-feely and it's not in the workplace. When I was young and first started work, I didn't necessarily give out signals to stop it until I got a bit older and realised. Some women might say why should we have to be the ones who police stupid men? As an intelligent man, and in his position, he ought to have realised he was laying himself open to misinterpretation. He has probably done nothing wrong but the photos look a bit dodgy. Look at what Cliff Richard went through and there was nothing like this to condemn him. It will all come out eventually but I just think he has shown lack of judgment.