ALEX Salmond has again failed to answer questions about past behaviour he has admitted to and instead launched an attack on the BBC for “constant attempts to re-try" him over sexual assault allegations he was cleared of.
The former first minister was acquitted of all 13 criminal charges against him following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh last year.
But the Alba Party leader, who is seeking a dramatic comeback to Holyrood at next month’s election, was pressed over behaviour he admitted to during the criminal trial, which while not criminal has led his political rivals to question his suitability to hold public office.
Appearing on the BBC’s The Nine, Mr Salmond was pressed about the concerns raised by Nicola Sturgeon and other party leaders about his suitability to become an MSP.
READ MORE: Analysis: Alex Salmond just can’t ignore his past treatment of women
The BBC’s Rebecca Curran said: “You want voters to judge you, to decide, so what are they voting for?
“Are they voting for a man who thinks it’s okay to go to bed for what you described yourself as a ‘sleepy cuddle’ with a staff member half your age in the first minister’s residence, or are they voting for a man who thinks that is not okay?”
But Mr Salmond responded to questions over his behaviour by pointing to his acquittal of all criminal charges, stressing that “most fair-minded people in Scotland believe once a jury as decided, the case is over”.
He added: “Most fair-minded people don’t appreciate the constant attempts by the BBC to re-try the case.
“The case was heard, I was found innocent, it is now time to move on and Alba is moving on to discuss the future of Scotland.
“As far as the other party leaders are concerned, in this campaign I’m talking about the national, not the personal, and I think both participants and commentators on the campaign would do very well to follow that.”
Greens' not threatened by rise of Salmond's Alba
Meanwhile, Scottish Greens co-leader, Patrick Harvie, has insisted he does not fear Mr Salmond’s new project taking votes away from his party – labelling Alba and the former first minister “yesterday’s men”.
Speaking on Good Morning Scotland as a new poll indicated the SNP would fall short of an overall majority, Mr Harvie said any decision about whether to enter into a coalition with Ms Sturgeon’s party would be for members of the Scottish Greens.
Mr Harvie said there are a number of issues that might make a formal deal between his party and Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP difficult, even though they both support Scottish independence.
He cited “challenging issues” around taxation, fossil fuels and transport.
Meanwhile, Mr Harvie insisted the emergence of the pro-independence Alba Party is not a threat to Green votes.
Mr Harvie said: “I’m very clear that the decisions in this election, and the decisions in a future independence referendum, are about Scotland’s future.
READ MORE: The Brian Taylor Podcast: Patrick Harvie says exams should be scrapped
“They’re about how we address the climate and nature emergencies, Scotland has been missing its climate targets repeatedly as a large result of government action on transport, which has allowed emissions to rise not fall.
“We have chronic poverty and inequality in our society, we have to restore the position in Europe and build a relationship with the wider world.
“I don’t see Alex Salmond as the answer to any of those questions about the future and I think there’s very little overlap between the kind of people who are attracted to the positive Green vision for Scotland’s future and those who are harking back to yesterday’s men.”
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