ALEX Salmond has been accused of contempt, arrogance and a scandalous disregard for the Scottish Parliament after refusing to answer questions from opposition leaders over whether his phone was hacked.
Labour, Tory and LibDem leaders all asked Mr Salmond at First Minister's Questions yesterday if he had been a victim of phone hacking.
All three were told he would only reveal the information when he appeared under oath at the Leveson Inquiry.
His spokesman announced he will attend on June 13.
Mr Salmond also repeated his rejection of demands to hold an inquiry in Scotland into the phone-hacking scandal involving the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World.
He told Labour leader Johann Lamont Strathclyde Police was already conducting a live investigation and a Scottish Parliament inquiry could result in a "significant risk a criminal investigation and criminal inquiry would be compromised".
Later, his spokesman said the Leveson Inquiry was the proper place to answer questions.
He said: "The First Minister will be happy to do so at a judge-led inquiry. It's the proper forum to say what he wants to say."
However, he conceded the police had not suggested he should not answer questions at Holyrood on whether he had been phone-hacked, he was not acting on legal advice, nor had the Leveson Inquiry told him not to answer questions.
He said: "The First Minister simply believes it's the right way to answer questions."
However, Ms Lamont claimed: "The First Minister treated his party, the parliament, and the people of this country with complete contempt, refusing to answer questions and failing to justify his lobbying for Rupert Murdoch.
"Three times he was asked by three party leaders if his phone was hacked, three times he ignored the question, and he refuses to be held accountable for his actions. The more he tries to defend his relationship with Rupert Murdoch, the more questions it raises."
Tory leader Ruth Davidson said Mr Salmond's "dodging the question now only to reveal all when he takes the stand later will be seen as media manipulation.
"Was he hacked, but has not spoken out because he has something to hide?
"I don't know whether it is arrogance, stubbornness or fear which has him standing in the Holyrood chamber continually refusing to answer legitimate questions over his conduct and that of his office."
LibDem leader Willie Rennie said: "Mr Salmond should tell MSPs if his phone has been hacked and stop the needless guessing game.
"The First Minister must reconsider his position and let the Scottish Parliament launch its own investigation into the phone-hacking scandal."
The row over Mr Murdoch's fitness to run his empire opened up a growing chasm within the Coalition parties yesterday.
LibDem leader Nick Clegg said a critical report by MPs, which declared Mr Murdoch not a "fit person" to head a major international company, left "big question marks".
However, one of his most senior Tory colleagues, Foreign Secretary William Hague, defended Mr Murdoch, earlier describing the media mogul and others like him as "very capable people".
News Corporation's board has announced its full confidence in Rupert Murdoch's "fitness" and its support for him to remain at the helm of the firm.
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