DATES have been set for the full hearing of Alex Salmond’s legal challenge against the Scottish Government.
The former First Minister is taking court action against the Scottish Government to contest the complaints process activated against him in relation to sexual harassment allegations.
Two allegations, which he strongly denies, were made in January. Salmond and is pursuing a judicial review in Scotland’s highest civil court.
The case is due to call at the Court of Session for a hearing set for four days from January 15, with an earlier procedural hearing on November 6.
A spokesman for Salmond said: “We intend to demonstrate that the complaints procedure deployed against Alex by the Scottish Government was unlawful. We will do our talking in that court.”
The Scottish Government has previously vowed to “vigorously defend” the case, saying it is “confident our processes are legally sound”.
Meanwhile, it emerged that Salmond has told the Court of Session that he had already apologised to one of the women who has accused him of sexual harassment.
The former First Minister says that the woman complained in 2013, that he apologised for a “misunderstanding” and that the apology was accepted. The Scottish Government has insisted it knew of no “recorded complaint” against Salmond before January.
Salmond’s formal submission for the judicial review says the Scottish Government should not have investigated an allegation from one of the women as they had already been dealt with under the “local informal handling” first stage set out in the Fairness at Work policy for complaints about ministers.
Over the weekend, there were reports that “several” other women had come forward to complain about Salmond to the SNP. The party has
instructed a private lawyer to investigate the claims.
Both Labour and the Tories have demanded more information. Labour MSP Rhoda Grant is set to raise the issue with Nicola Sturgeon at this week’s First Minister’s Questions on Thursday.
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