FORMER diplomat Craig Murray claims to have access to Stewart McDonald’s emails and says he will publish those which are in the public interest.
It comes after the SNP MP fell victim to a phishing scam – claiming he had been hacked by a Russian spy service.
McDonald told the BBC earlier this week that he feared his emails would be made public.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon a long way from quitting despite rumours: Andy Maciver
Now, Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan and fierce critic of Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP, says he has obtained the messages.
He claims he had no hand in gaining access to the communications and came into their receipt after “approaching a number of people to find out who might have them”.
According to Murray, the emails contain messages from McDonald to Nicola Sturgeon, and reveal “toxic relationships” within the SNP Westminster group.
In a blog post, Murray said that McDonald's claim he had been hacked by Russia was wrong, but did not reveal who had been behind the phishing scam.
He said: "I want to reassure Mr McDonald that his hysterical ranting about being hacked by a state intelligence service, when he appears by his own account to have fallen for a phishing scam the average 12-year-old would see through, is hilariously wide of the mark."
Murray also said he wouldn't publish anything relating to McDonald's "personal or love life" or which has been altered or falsified.
READ MORE: 'Obscene' decision by council to spend up to £50k on coronation holiday
Murray claimed that there is "much of interest" relating to the inner workings of the SNP and the cache contains "emails direct to and from Nicola Sturgeon".
He claimed the emails would show "the toxic relationships within the SNP group at Westminster, where McDonald regards himself as in a very small minority of Sturgeon loyalists".
McDonald has been contacted for comment.
Pete Wishart, the SNP's longest-serving MP, commented: "It’s hard to think of anything more contemptible than to release the illegally acquired private communications of someone you don’t know. But there are some people below contempt. Craig Murray showing he is one of them."
Murray was jailed over blog posts that could have identified Alex Salmond’s accusers, and last year lost a legal challenge against his prison sentence.
The writer had become a blogger and pro-independence campaigner and wrote a series of articles on the former first minister’s high court trial in 2020.
The 63-year-old was jailed for eight months for contempt of court after prosecutors said his articles contained details which, if pieced together, could lead readers to identify the women who made allegations against Salmond, who was acquitted of all 13 charges including sexual assault and attempted rape in March last year.
Murray's appeal was rejected, as Lord Calloway added he showed “a total lack of remorse” about his actions.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel