Legal advice given to the Scottish government, which was published on Friday, graphically underlines concerns voiced by its external counsel about defending its probe into harassment complaints against Alex Salmond — weeks before the case was conceded in court.
The minority Scottish National party government had previously shrugged off votes made by the parliament in Edinburgh demanding that it release the 2018 advice. However, following threats of a motion of no-confidence made against the deputy first minister John Swinney, it has been publishing the advice in batches this week.
The dispute with parliament is part of a far-reaching controversy over the government’s handling of complaints against Salmond, which set him against his successor and former protégé Nicola Sturgeon. Many in the SNP fear the rift could undermine the party’s push for independence.
Under legal challenge from Salmond, the Scottish government accepted in court in January 2019 that its…