RUTH Davidson has written to Peter Murrell demanding answers about leaked Whatsapp messages sent during the Alex Salmond investigation.

The former Scottish Conservatives leader has asked the SNP Chief Executive, and husband of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, seven questions about the messages which appear to show him urging police and prosecution action against Alex Salmond.

The messages were revealed when MP Kenny Macaskill, an ally of Mr Salmond, said he had received an anonymous document containing them.

He then passed the messages to the Holyrood committee investigating the Salmond controversy, Mr Salmond himself and Crown Office prosecutors.

Ms Davidson quizzed the Ms Sturgeon about the messages at First Minister's Questions on Thursday, however she did not receive clarification over whether her husband was the author or when they were sent.

It is claimed the messages date from January 2019, when Mr Salmond won a civil legal action against Ms Sturgeon’s government and was shortly afterwards charged with sexual assault.

The Crown Office instructed Police Scotland to investigate the leaked messages, which may have come from material disclosed to Mr Salmond’s trial defence team.

In her letter, Ms Davidson wrote: "You will be aware of the following messages allegedly dating from the 25 January 2019 that are in the public domain and are purported to have been sent by you, which include the following: 'Totally agree folk should be asking the police questions . . . report now with the PF on charges which leaves police twiddling their thumbs. So good time to be pressurising them. Would be good to know Met looking at events in London.

" 'TBH the more fronts he [Alex Salmond] is having to firefight on the better for all complainers. So CPS action would be a good thing.'

"The Committee members have been concerned at the lack of evidence that it has received in response to their requests. Linda Fabiani, the Committee Convenor and an SNP MSP, has said that the "The Committee is now at a stage where we cannot proceed any further" due to a lack of evidence.

"Given the frustrations experienced by the Committee and the Scottish Parliament in receiving answers - and the promise of the SNP party leader that those under her within the party will co-operate fully, and her direct instruction to put questions straight to you - I have decided to take Ms Sturgeon's advice."

She has asked Mr Murrell directly if he sent the messages, what date they were sent on and to confirm they were sent to an SNP employee.

The MSP added: "Can you confirm if this was the only occasion on which you advised an employee of the SNP that it was "good" to be "pressurising" the police with regards to the investigation into Alex Salmond?

"What was your intent in encouraging others to engage in "pressurising" the police?

"In what way was this relevant to the SNP and your role as chief executive of the SNP?

"Was your party leader aware of your call for others to be "pressurising" the police?

"Were any Scottish Government ministers a member of the WhatsApp group that the above referenced messages were sent to?"

After sending the letter, Ms Davidson said: " “This week, the SNP leader refused to answer questions about the actions of the SNP chief executive, Peter Murrell.

“But Nicola Sturgeon also promised the SNP would ‘co-operate fully’ with the Salmond inquiry, and said that we should ask Peter Murrell directly for answers. So I took her instruction and wrote to Mr Murrell.

“The Scottish public need to hear these answers, and Nicola Sturgeon promised the SNP would deliver them. So no more excuses, let’s have the truth.”

An SNP spokesman said: "Mr Murrell has met all the deadlines set by the Committee and hopes his latest written submission is published soon.”
He is understood to have submitted his latest evidence to the Holyrood inquiry on Friday.

 

Ruth Davidson's letter to Peter Murrell

Dear Peter,

As you will be aware, a key concern for the Scottish Parliament's Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints is the separation of party and government roles and information. This was made clear in the Committee’s letter requesting evidence from you of 7 July 2020 which stated:

“The Committee is examining the extent to which lines that divide Scottish Government matters and party matters are clear and adhered to in practice.”

You will be aware of the following messages allegedly dating from the 25 January 2019 that are in the public domain and are purported to have been sent by you, which include the following:

“Totally agree folk should be asking the police questions . . . report now with the PF on charges which leaves police twiddling their thumbs. So good time to be pressurising them. Would be good to know Met looking at events in London.”

“TBH the more fronts he [Alex Salmond] is having to firefight on the better for all complainers. So CPS action would be a good thing.”

At FMQs on 1 October 2020, the First Minister - and the leader of the Party in which you serve as chief executive - stated in reference to these messages: “Call the people who the messages are purported to come from and ask them the questions”.

In the same session of FMQs, the SNP leader stated "the SNP will also put forward answers to the questions that the committee asks of it...and will continue to co-operate fully."

The Committee members have been concerned at the lack of evidence that it has received in response to their requests. Linda Fabiani, the Committee Convenor and an SNP MSP, has said that the “The Committee is now at a stage where we cannot proceed any further” due to a lack of evidence.

Given the frustrations experienced by the Committee and the Scottish Parliament in receiving answers - and the promise of the SNP party leader that those under her within the party will co-operate fully and her direct instruction to put questions straight to you - I have decided to take Ms Sturgeon's advice and ask you the following seven questions:

· Can you confirm that the messages referred to above were sent by you?

· Can you confirm those messages were sent on the 25 January 2019?

· Can you confirm that they were sent to another employee of the SNP?

· Can you confirm if this was the only occasion on which you advised an employee of the SNP that it was “good” to be “pressurising” the police with regards to the investigation into Alex Salmond?

· What was your intent in encouraging others to engage in “pressurising” the police?

· In what way was this relevant to the SNP and your role as chief executive of the SNP?

· Was your party leader aware of your call for others to be “pressurising” the police?

· Were any Scottish Government ministers a member of the WhatsApp group that the above referenced messages were sent to?

As your party leader has publicly committed you to answering these questions and doing so in a fully co-operative manner, I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Ruth Davidson MSP