A conspirator is someone engaged in a conspiracy—a secret plan by multiple people to do something evil or illegal.

Murrell in a statement to the Holyrood Inquiry stated that Party policy dictated the handling of complaints within the Party was the responsibility of the Party Executive and it did not share case details with any other organisation unless the complaint highlighted a “clear act of criminality”, and at no time in the Autumn of 2017 did the Party inform any Scottish Government civil servant or special advisor of a complaint by a Party member against a minister of the Government.

He lied!!!

His assertion doesn’t fit the conduct of Liz Lloyd who, in asking for Mark McDonalds resignation contravened the ministerial code applicable to Special Advisors.

31 October 2017: Ann Harvey, principal assistant to the chief whip at the SNP’s Westminster Group reported to the Inquiry that she had received 16 text messages, some from SNP HQ, to her private number, each one fishing for information which could be damaging if used against Alex Salmond.

A few persisted in asking for confirmation that Sue Ruddick ( a personal friend and ex colleague of Ann) had been physically assaulted by Alex while they were campaigning together during the 2008 General Election campaign. Her answer to that enquiry was a categorical rebuttal there was no physical aggression at any time on the part of Alex.

What’s up? Someone at the top of the SNP chain of command authorised a canvassing of staff for complaints. Hardly a spontaneous response as later claimed. Digging the dirt for long forgotten incidents.

01 Nov 2017: James Dornan MSP, was contacted by someone from SNP Party headquarters who was canvassing for any complaints against Party officials. He responded, without consulting Miss “A”, by copying the enquirer details of a twitter exchange between Mark McDonald and Miss “A” of 26 September 2016, which he had retained for over a year without the knowledge or permission of either party.

02 Nov 2017: Mark was invited to attend a meeting with John Swinney and Liz Lloyd, to be informed that there had been “chatter” among Party members about him in relation to the “MeToo” movement.

03 Nov 2017: Lloyd convened a second meeting with Mark at which she showed him a copy of his messages to Miss A. She did not provide the name of the person that had supplied it to her. but she did say that a complaint that had been lodged against him by an SNP Party member. She advised him that his position as a minister of the government was no longer tenable and he would need to resign.

04 Nov 2017: Sturgeon telephoned Mark in the afternoon and told him he would be expected to resign from the Government.

05 Nov 2017: Mark resigned as minister for childcare and early years. He was suspended later by the SNP following receipt of undisclosed “new” information about his conduct.

07 Nov 2017: In a strange turn of events Sturgeon dismissed the notion that Mark should resign from Holyrood claiming that “Some may well have thought it was not serious enough to resign for.”

Points to Swinney and Lloyd acting against Mark McDonald without the knowledge or authority of Sturgeon or of the SNP Chief Executive Peter Murrell, (see his quote above)