John Swinney has rejected calls for a fresh inquiry into explosive new messages about Alex Salmond and refused to say if he believes there was a conspiracy against him by senior figures in the SNP.
The SNP leader said he does not believe there needs to be a new probe despite claims the new WhatsApp exchanges show senior SNP figures conspiring against the former First Minister.
He attempted to move on from the scandal by insisting the messages relate to events ‘a long time ago’ and claimed they do not add anything new.
Allies of Mr Salmond called for a public inquiry and a police probe after the messages were published at the weekend by the Sunday Mail newspaper.
Addressing the issue for the first time after a speech to the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Dundee, Mr Swinney attempted to downplay the significance of the exchanges, which had been kept secret until now.
Asked if he felt they showed a conspiracy to frame Mr Salmond, he said: ‘These messages relate to events that happened a long time ago and which have been examined and explored at significant detail over a whole range of different forums, and I don’t think they really add anything to what any of us knew about these issues before.’
Pressed again on whether there was a conspiracy to frame the former SNP leader, Mr Swinney said again: ‘I don’t think these messages add anything to what we know already.’
Asked if he felt Mr Salmond was a good man, he said: ‘Alex Salmond did many good things, but obviously there were issued raised about his conduct.’
John Swinney refused to say if he believes there was a conspiracy against Alex Salmond by senior figures in the SNP
Questioned for a third time on what his personal view is on whether senior people in the party were conspiring against Mr Salmond, Mr Swinney said: ‘I have given an answer about what I think about the messages, they are messages from a long time ago and they have been well aired.’
On whether he would back a public inquiry into the issue, he said: ‘No.’ The messages reopened bitter splits within the SNP over the complaints about Mr Salmond’s conduct. They were sent during the period from September 2018 to January 2019 after the Court of Session found the Scottish Government investigation into complaints about Mr Salmond had been unlawful and ‘tainted by apparent bias’.
In a criminal trial, the former First Minister was cleared of 13 charges at Edinburgh High Court in March 2020.
In the text exchanges, one senior figure is asked whether she has ‘an Alex story’, and responded: ‘If I do I don’t remember - wandering hands, some shouting, but not really? I think I wasn’t his type.’ Another woman stated: ‘How have they got my name? Must be (redacted). I’ll kill her.’
After news broke that Mr Salmond had been charged in January 2019, one woman said: ‘Police say mine not on list as. It enough evidence(sic). Yet. Felt like asking what they need and I’ll get it for them!’
Another female, who appeared to have spoken to police, stated: ‘I speak for myself here – I don’t think what happened to me would constitute an offence.’
She added: ‘Tbh (to be honest), what happened to me didn’t particularly bother me at the time but I felt it was important to back up the others.’
In response, another senior SNP figure said: ‘Yeah I’m in the same boat in terms of backing others.’
When Mr Salmond was charged, one of the accusers states: ‘He is going to jail. And I’m ******* glad… was considering briefing media? good move by police to do this now then we are protected by contempt of court.’
In one exchange, the week after police announce an investigation into Salmond, SNP compliance officer Ian McCann and chief operating officer Sue Ruddick discuss an attempt to find potential victims and appear disappointed that someone who said they could deliver ‘five folk by the end of that week’ had ‘overreached’.
Mr McCann stated: ‘I think one other said to her that she would. But didn’t? or at least, not yet.’
In January 2019, Ms Ruddick told Mr McCann she hoped one of the complainers would be ‘sickened enough to get back in the game’ after Mr Salmond won his judicial review.
Alex Salmond was cleared of 13 charges at Edinburgh High Court in March 2020
Former justice secretary Kenny MacAskill claimed the messages ‘confirm my suspicions’ that individuals in the SNP and Scottish Government ‘conspired to bring Alex down’ and demanded a police probe and public inquiry.
Tory MP David Davis, a personal friend of Mr Salmond, also claimed there was ‘clearly a conspiracy to pervert the cause of justice involving members of the SNP and SNP government that led to the trial of Alex Salmond’ and demanded a ‘proper police investigation by an independent police force beyond the control of the SNP’.
After Tuesday’s speech to the STUC, Mr Swinney came under fire from trade union leaders for failing to prevent mass job losses at the Grangemouth oil refinery, Mossmorran ethylene plant in Fife, the North Sea, and the Alexander Dennis bus company.
Mr Swinney also said price caps on up to 50 essential items in supermarkets will be in place this year. Asked if his own policies have put financial pressure on supermarkets, he said: ‘No, I think what we’ve tried to do is offer a good climate for business in Scotland.’