New Allegations Against Alex Salmond

Police Scotland has received a new allegation against former first minister Alex Salmond regarding a non-recent sexual assault. This comes in light of Salmond’s sudden death last month due to a heart attack while attending a conference in North Macedonia.

Background on Previous Charges

In 2020, Salmond was acquitted by a jury of 13 serious sexual offence charges, including attempted rape. Following the recent report, a spokesperson for Police Scotland stated:

“We can confirm that we have received a report of a non-recent sexual assault. The information is being assessed.”

At this moment, the police have not provided further details about the investigation.

Complaints and Party Response

Reports from The Herald indicated that up to six women approached the SNP two years ago to file complaints against Salmond. These complaints were described as being of a sexual nature, but it appears they did not progress beyond party executives. A “party insider” noted that complaints about “inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature” dated back as far as the 1980s.

Salmond left the SNP in 2018 to establish an alternative independence party called Alba, which he led until his death. The SNP clarified that its disciplinary procedures could only be applied to current party members.

Claims of Smear Campaign

Chris McEleny, general secretary of the Alba Party, argued that Salmond had been cleared by legal proceedings and suggested he was the target of a smear campaign. He stated:

“In life the conspiracy and smears to stitch up Alex Salmond… were unanimously rejected in Scotland’s highest criminal court by a majority female jury who listened to the evidence led meticulously.”

McEleny further urged former first minister Nicola Sturgeon to call for an end to what he described as attacks on Salmond’s character, saying she should allow him to rest in peace.

During his trial, Salmond characterized the allegations against him as “deliberate fabrications for a political purpose” or “exaggerations”. His lawyer acknowledged that while Salmond could have behaved better, he had not committed any crimes.

This situation has sparked discussions within Scottish politics, with further inquiries into alleged collusion against Salmond by members of his former party aimed at hindering his return to politics.