Extracted from: “Break-Up: How Alex Salmond And Nicola Sturgeon Went To War” written by former Daily Record political editor David Clegg and Times journalist Kieran Andrews.
“This was not the first occasion during my time as political editor of the Record that I had been given cause to suspect Salmond could be a potential subject of harassment complaints.
I’d been covering the Scottish Parliament for seven years when the #MeToo movement erupted in the autumn of 2017 and sparked a wave of intense scrutiny of the behaviour of powerful men.
I had a conversation with a Scottish Government official that would set the course for what followed. The well-placed figure said dramatically: “Everyone working in government knows that if a Harvey Weinstein scandal is going to emerge in Scotland, it will be about Alex Salmond.” Stunned by this comment from a normally level-headed contact, I immediately rang my editor, Murray Foote, to discuss what to do.
It was decided that I should drop all other stories and spend the next few weeks digging into Salmond.
I began contacting civil servants, SNP staffers and government employees I knew had worked closely with the former first minister in the previous two decades.
On 31 October 2017, I submitted a series of questions to the Scottish Government asking if any complaints had been made about Salmond during his time as first minister.
The government insisted there had been no complaints. So despite continuing “chinese whispers” at Holyrood about Salmond, no claims could be corroborated with sufficient certainty to allow publication.”
Clegg’s, persistent and unfruitful pursuit of damaging information from Scottish government employees and civil servants, about Alex Salmond contravened the news editor’s “code of Practice”.
” Journalists must not engage in intimidation, harassment or persistent pursuit.”
Clegg admitted that with malice aforethought he had contravened the code by conducting a “harassment fishing trip” that revealed nothing of any verifiable substance.
02 November 2017: An email headed, “Sexual harassment – message from the Permanent Secretary” was distributed to all Scottish Government staff. It gave no mention of former Ministers or historic complaints. Indeed, the message guided respondents “to share concerns about current cultures or behaviours” and where appropriate to speak to a senior civil servant employed outside the Human Resources Department, who had been tasked by Evans to provide a confidential “Employer Counselling and Wellbeing” support service. (EAP).
03 November 2017: Letter from Sir Jeremy Heywood to Evans. ” Civil Service response to misconduct or misbehaviour,” (copied to Richards and Mackinnon), asking that the Civil Service management team in Scotlande should be satisfied that info on conduct and on how to raise a concern is clear and easily accessible for all staff and channels for raising a concern are well publicised and easy to use, and that staff feel positively encourages to speak up; and? processes for investigating concerns and, where relevant, taking follow up action, are working well and ensure timely resolution.”
04 November 2017: Lloyd’s statement to the Holyrood Inquiry:
I was made aware on the evening of Saturday 4th November 2017, by a member of staff in the SNP parliamentary media office, (afterwards confirmed through a FOI request to be one of the two original complainants who subsequently made allegations of harassment about Alex Salmond) that they had received a query in relation to Mr Salmond and an alleged incident at Edinburgh airport some 10 years before.
The person called to alert me to the possibility of such a story running, in case any ministers were on Sunday morning media. I informed the First Minister of the query and that I understood that Mr Salmond would not be responding that evening.
On Monday 06 November 2017 I was approached by civil servants within the Scottish Government raising concerns that Mr Salmond and representatives of Mr Salmond were reportedly contacting civil servants directly to ask that they provide supportive statements in relation to the matters raised by Sky News to his legal representatives.
The civil servants indicated that those being approached were finding the contact unwelcome.
I was asked if I or other Special Advisers could ask Mr Salmond to go through appropriate channels rather than approach people direct, however I was informed shortly after receiving this request that the Permanent Secretary’s office had also been approached and were taking the matter forward, so I made no approach to Mr Salmond.
Comment: Miss Lloyd is over embellishing her recollection of events. A FOI release recorded the call to Lloyd had been made by the same person that had called her before. The content of the conversation advised that it was Alex Salmond’s legal team, NOT Alex who had made enquires. An important correction
05 November 2017 : Media announced the Alex Salmond Show would be broadcast weekly on Russia Today (RT) starting 10 November 2017
This was Alex announcing his return to political journalism after losing his Buchan seat at Westminster in June 2017 following an enforced 6 month period of unemploymentl brought about by his “blackballing” by the Unionist controlled media who denied him the opportunity to carve out a new career in political journalism away from frontline politics.
Sturgeon Led Unionist politicians publically criticising Alex choice of broadcaster whilst neglecting to acknowledge that every other option for employment had been denied him.
Sky News and its outlets also joined in the attacks on Alex, launching a “Get Salmond” campaign utilizing its methodology of tasking journalists to get into the gutter and abuse the target..
05 November 2017: Sturgeon messaged Alex at 0850 hours:
“Hi – Are you free to speak this morning?” They spoke. Sturgeon briefed Alex about the query from Sky News “about the allegations of misconduct at Edinburgh Airport some 10 years before.” Alex denied the allegations. Sky news did not run the story.
06 November 2017: Evans informed Sturgeon of telephone contact between Alex and two Scottish Government members of staff. She said Alex wanted to talk to them about an alleged incident at Edinburgh Airport incident that Sky News were investigating.
Her information was incorrect Alex had not contacted anyone. Telephone contact had been through by Alex’s legal team who were aware the person’s concerned worked closely with Alex around the time of the alleged incident at Edinburgh Airport.
She had been told by two different sources, (the FOI release later confirmed them to be Ms A and Ms B) that they had received the contact and they were a bit bewildered and unhappy about it. She didn’t know what was said, she didn’t ask, she didn’t think it was appropriate to know.”
09 November 2017: Sturgeon contacted Alex to comment on his decision to host a weekly political discussion programme on RT. The content of her message was redacted – as was the reply from Alex.
In a previous submission to the inquiry, Ms Sturgeon said the Sky News episode had given her a “lingering concern” that allegations about Mr Salmond could surface.
caltonjock 