Alex Salmond: Alba Party leader accuses BBC of 'retrying’ sexual assault case in heated Good Morning Scotland interview

Alex Salmond has accused the BBC of “retrying” the criminal case against him, after he was challenged over his conduct as a parliamentarian.

Speaking to the Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Salmond said he did not believe voters would worry about his suitability for office, adding that “most fair minded people in Scotland will accept the verdict of the jury.”

Last March, a jury of eight women and five men at the high court in Edinburgh acquited him 12 charges of attempted rape, sexual assault and indecent assault.

A further charge of sexual misconduct was not proven.

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Mr Salmond always denied the specific allegations against him, but admitted in 2020 that some of his past behaviour while serving as First Minister had been inappropriate.

The BBC’s Gary Robertson told him: "You’ve said several times that you have been judged in court, but your behaviour towards women as a parliamentarian hasn't been judged because that process stopped.”

Mr Salmond replied: “Well that's not what the court was the deciding. A jury heard all of the evidence, unlike the BBC, and came to that conclusion - a jury predominantly composed of women in front of a lady judge.”

He added that Alba had fielded 18 women and just 14 men as candidates in the upcoming election, including “some of the strongest feminist voices in Scotland”.

Alex Salmond has accused the BBC of “retrying” the criminal case against him, after he was challenged over his conduct as a parliamentarian.Alex Salmond has accused the BBC of “retrying” the criminal case against him, after he was challenged over his conduct as a parliamentarian.
Alex Salmond has accused the BBC of “retrying” the criminal case against him, after he was challenged over his conduct as a parliamentarian.

Mr Salmond argued that “fair minded people” would “not appreciate the BBC trying to retry the case.”

Asked about the prospect of further investigations into his conduct as a parliamentarian rather than as First Minister, he said: “Look, we've had the three inquiries, things should now carry forward and people should accept the results.

“The two exceptions to that are the civil case I’m launching against the Scottish Government and the permanent secretary which arises directly out of the findings of the parliamentary committee.”

Mr Salmond added: “We should let the civil courts and the police get on with their jobs...the vast majority of people in Scotland, including myself, now want to move on.”

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A new Ipsos Mori poll this afternoon suggested that Mr Salmond’s new party is polling at around 3% of the vote.

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