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UNDER OATH

Nicola Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell accused of misleading MSPs &contradicting himself at Salmond trial inquiry

THE First Minister’s SNP boss husband tonight faced questions over whether his evidence to Holyrood’s Alex Salmond inquiry was misleading.

Peter Murrell came under fire over contradictions in evidence given under oath to the committee examining the Scottish Government’s unlawful probe into harassment complaints about the ex-First Minister.

Peter Murrell is accused of misleading the Alex Salmond inquiry
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Peter Murrell is accused of misleading the Alex Salmond inquiryCredit: AFP and licensors

Labour’s Jackie Baillie quizzed the Nats chief executive on a “council of war” WhatsApp chat set up by SNP chief operating officer Sue Ruddick and government special advisers following Mr Salmond’s successful court action against the administration in January 2019.

Mr Murrell — married to Nicola Sturgeon — insisted he had no knowledge of the group or  messages shared in it as he doesn’t use the platform.


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But The Scottish Sun can reveal a WhatsApp account is linked to the SNP chief exec’s mobile number — and according to the social media app it was “last seen” on November 22 this year.

Ms Baillie asked: “Were you aware that a WhatsApp group was formed on the day that the judicial review was lost (by the government), and it was a group convened, I understand, by the chief operating officer (of the SNP)?”

Mr Murrell said he was not, and reiterated he was “not aware of any WhatsApp group” when asked if he’d seen any of the messages it contained. 

Ms Baillie said: “These were WhatsApp messages. And I’m asking you, did you ever know about government special advisers ‘convening a council of war’?”

Ms Sturgeon's husband made contradictory statements
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Ms Sturgeon's husband made contradictory statementsCredit: Getty - Pool
His WhatsApp account shows he was active in November, despite denying using it
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His WhatsApp account shows he was active in November, despite denying using it

Mr Murrell replied: “I can only tell you I know nothing about a WhatsApp group. I’m not on WhatsApp. So, it’s not a social media platform I use.”
However it later emerged a WhatsApp account linked to Mr Murrell’s phone number was active last month.

Tonight the SNP refused to answer questions over whether his evidence was “incorrect” or “misleading”, or if he’d deleted WhatsApp from his phone since November 22, and whether Mr Murrell was on the platform in January 2019 when the “war” chat was set up.

A party spokesman said: “Mr Murrell made clear he doesn’t use WhatsApp.”

But Ms Baillie said the “bombshell revelation” had “exposed” his testimony and suggested it may be “misleading”.  

Mr Murrell said he didn't speak with his wife about the Salmond allegations
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Mr Murrell said he didn't speak with his wife about the Salmond allegationsCredit: PA:Press Association

She added: “Mr Murrell must  come clean over what he has been messaging, on what platform, and to whom.”  

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: “His claim to not use WhatsApp is plainly ridiculous when a simple check shows he used it in the last few weeks.”

Lib Dem Alex Cole-Hamilton added: “Mr Murrell is very judicious with his choice of words, but considering he’s under oath he is on very thin ice if the evidence demonstrates he did  use WhatsApp until as recently as this November.

“He is running dangerously close to making a mockery of our committee.”

Mr Salmond was cleared of all charges
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Mr Salmond was cleared of all chargesCredit: PA:Press Association
Ms Sturgeon has previously given evidence to the inquiry
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Ms Sturgeon has previously given evidence to the inquiryCredit: PA:Press Association

The WhatsApp group referred to by Ms Baillie emerged in a preliminary hearing ahead of Mr Salmond’s sex assaults trial,  at which he was cleared of all charges.

Mr Murrell today denied having a “key role” in an apparent “plot to ensure the downfall of Alex Salmond” after he sent texts in January 2019 — the day after Ms Salmond’s first court appearance — which appeared to suggest cops investigating claims about the ex-SNP leader should be “pressurised”.  

He told the committee the texts to Ms Ruddick were “out of character” and “open to misinterpretation”, adding: “A more appropriate text message back at that point would have been to say they should seek the answers from the police.

“But that wasn’t the language I used and that’s why I’ve said that I regret using that, because it’s not the right word to use in that context.”

Mr Salmond met Ms Sturgeon at her house
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Mr Salmond met Ms Sturgeon at her houseCredit: AFP - Getty

Mr Murrell also gave differing accounts of talks between Ms Sturgeon and her predecessor at their home near Glasgow on April 2, 2018.

He initially said he was not at the house when the meeting took place and “wasn’t really aware” that Mr Salmond was coming to the house.

He later told MSPs he returned before the meeting was over, and that he knew about Mr Salmond’s visit the day before.

Green MSP Andy Wightman questioned Mr Murrell on his claim he “had the sense something serious was being discussed” and what had given him that impression.

 

He replied: “To give you the situation, I arrived home and popped my head into our living room and there were three individuals in the living room.

Alec and Nicola were in another room (in) which I couldn’t see them. The fact that  there were other people there was what gave me that sense.

“I went upstairs,  had a shower and got changed, and by the time I’d done that the meeting had ended and they’d left. There was no interaction really apart from saying hello to people when I arrived and going upstairs.”

The crucial April 2 meeting is under scrutiny as it is the day Ms Sturgeon claims Mr Salmond told her about her government’s investigation into him.

However in her own written evidence to the committee, the First Minister said she “forgot” an earlier meeting with Mr Salmond’s former chief of staff Geoff Aberdein on March 29 that year during which he mentioned “allegations of a sexual nature” against her predecessor.

Part of the committee’s remit is to look at Ms Sturgeon’s actions in relation to the ministerial code. She has insisted she met Mr Salmond in a “party/personal” capacity as SNP leader, rather than as First Minister. 

Today Mr Murrell said he was not told about the nature of their talks in his role as Nats chief exec as “the issue that was raised with Nicola at the time was a Scottish Government matter”.

He added: “Nicola . . . she’s been a minister for a very long time and we just don’t talk about government business.”

Mr Cole-Hamilton  suggested it was “incredible” that Ms Sturgeon’s planned meeting with Mr Salmond was not a “conversation that passed over the breakfast table”.

Mr Murrell insisted the First Minister’s schedule meant they rarely had “four days at home” together, and said:  “It wasn’t something we discussed prior to it.”

Read more on the Scottish Sun

Mr Murrell also revealed complaints were made to the SNP about Alex Salmond in September 2018 after the Scottish Government’s probe  became public, but no action was taken as he had quit the party.

The SNP did not respond when  asked how many complaints there were, if they are “outstanding” or if they were referred to the police, and if they’d be investigated if Mr Salmond were to rejoin the party.

Nicola Sturgeon says Salmond may be ‘angry’ with her for refusing to ‘collude’ with him to ‘cover up’ sex allegations


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