SNP panic as Nicola Sturgeon facing fresh 'investigation' demands as party in chaos

Top Tory MP David Davis has called for Police Scotland to "properly investigate" the conduct of Nicola Sturgeon and her Government during the Alex Salmond scandal.

The demands were made during a debate at Westminster, where he also requested changes to the 1998 Scotland Act.

Davis launched a scathing attack on the devolved SNP Government in Holyrood, previously led by Ms Sturgeon, highlighting once again the flaws in the case against former First Minister Alex Salmond. He accused Sturgeon's successors of "continuing to suppress the truth" about the sexual misconduct allegations levelled against Salmond.

Furthermore, Davis reiterated his call for the government to publish the full report into Sturgeon's behaviour during the scandal, which was written by an independent lawyer.

This concluded that it was up to MSPs to decide whether she had misled MSPs when she gave evidence into the botched investigation into her predecessor, the Scottish Daily Express reports.

In response, Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill insisted that she was focused on "change" and that the new UK Government would look to work closer with the Scottish Government, but would not be making any changes to the 1998 Scotland Act which Mr Davis demanded. He wants to "review the consequences for civil servants found to have acted improperly".

He also said the investigative powers and legal protections offered to Members of the Scottish Parliament should be strengthened and called for Westminster to "immediately separate the powers of Scottish law offices and their roles in the ministry of criminal justice and providing advice to the Scottish Government."

SNP ministers are looking at dividing the office of the Lord Advocate and splitting the role into two due to concerns about the office holder being the head of the prosecution and also providing legal advice to the Scottish Government. This was thrust into the spotlight due to Operation Branchform investigating Ms Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell.

Mr Davis highlighted comments from whistleblowers who had claimed that details of Mr Salmond's case had been leaked to newspapers from the Scottish Government. He added: "Nicola Sturgeon is no longer First Minister but her successors have continued to suppress the truth about their party's disgraceful attempt to destroy Alex Salmond and in doing so they've continued to deny him proper redress."

The former First Minister is currently undertaking legal action against Ms Sturgeon and the Scottish Government, including former Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, alleging malfeasance - the wrongful exercise of lawful authority - by civil servants. According to Mr Davis, this has been paused due to the ongoing Operation Branchform.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Court of Session did not instruct the Scottish Government to release material. In line with the Court’s judgment in December, we have reviewed the material held and responded in compliance with FOI legislation, applying exemptions as appropriate. The Scottish Information Commissioner has confirmed the requirements of the decision notice have been complied with.

“An independent report on the former First Minister’s self-referral under the Scottish Ministerial Code found no breach of the Ministerial Code.”