Crown Office still investigating Alex Salmond claims of perjury a year on

The Crown Office is still investigating allegations of perjury made by Alex Salmond in connection to his criminal trial in 2020.

In April last year, the Sunday Mail reported lawyers for the former first minister had written a letter to the Crown Office including allegations of criminality, with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) appointing an independent KC to investigate the claims.

However, a year on from that report, the Crown Office has confirmed to The Scotsman it is still to respond to the letter and the allegations within it.

A Crown Office spokesperson said: “Correspondence from Mr Salmond’s solicitor has been received and will be responded to in due course. As is standard practice in any matter regarding politicians, this will be dealt with by independent prosecutors without the involvement of the law officers.”

Nicola Sturgeon with Alex Salmond whilst on the General Election campaign trail in Inverurie in the Gordon constituency in 2015.

The ongoing investigation continues as the SNP faces its biggest crisis in its history after Peter Murrell, the former chief executive and husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, and Colin Beattie, the party treasurer until last week, were arrested in connection with an investigation into party finances. Both were released without charge and pending further investigation.

Mr Salmond was acquitted of several sexual offence charges in a high-profile trial in 2020.

The trial had followed a botched Scottish Government investigation into harassment complaints made against the former SNP leader.

The handling of the complaints sparked a legal row before Lord Pentland ruled it had been “tainted by apparent bias” at the Court of Session, costing the taxpayer more than £500,000 in damages and expenses.

Concerns of perjury had been raised against Mr Murrell by Scottish Labour MSP Jackie Baillie around statements he made during the parliamentary inquiry into the handling of the harassment complaints.

However, the Crown Office, after a year and a half of investigation, found no evidence Mr Murrell had made “wilful false statements”, which would constitute a criminal offence.

Mr Salmond has claimed there was an orchestrated plot against him among senior SNP figures and allies of Nicola Sturgeon, intending to remove him from public life. He has since launched the breakaway pro-independence Alba Party, which has failed to elect a single MSP or councillor.

Ms Sturgeon and the Scottish Government have repeatedly, strenuously denied the existence of such a conspiracy. Mr Salmond was contacted for comment.