Alex Salmond case is about basic principles of justice and how Scotland is run – Brian Wilson

As groundhog day draws nigh for the “Salmond committee”, the stench of deceit grows stronger.

Will Alex Salmond be able to give his evidence in full to the Holyrood committee investigating the Scottish government's handling of complaints made against him? (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

The latest twist would deny Mr Salmond the right to give his full evidence and, if it cannot be given, it cannot be taken account of in the committee’s report. This Catch-22 has been determined by the chair, Ms Fabiani, and other SNP members.

This week, we had the kind of spin-doctoring exercise which heightens distrust of the process. Private exchanges among complainants in the Salmond court case were unanimously judged irrelevant by the committee, having viewed them in private.

Well, of course they were. These were not sought by the committee who asked for material "relevant to its remit". The Crown Office offered them up while communications of legitimate interest – including messages involving Peter Murrell and other SNP officials, nothing to do with the complainants – remain unproduced.

Even before committee members had seen what the Crown Office gave it, Scottish government special advisers were briefing on the content and how, when the committee showed no interest, Mr Salmond’s case would be in ruins. Given the evidence released was solely for the committee’s use, one wonders how special advisers knew anything about the content. Perhaps there could be another inquiry.

The whole circus must now be in imminent danger of collapse, which, on balance, might be more honourable than dignifying a high-level fix and the ludicrous denial of a key witness’s right to be heard.

This is now long past being about Salmond versus Sturgeon, neither my cup of tea. It is about protecting basic principles of justice and shedding light on how Scotland is run.

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