Alba figures dismiss memoir hint that late FM

ALEX Salmond's allies have rubbished Nicola Sturgeon's claims that he leaked details about an investigation into reports of sexual misconduct against him.

- BY CHRIS MCCALL

classic Alex to have been behind the leak.

Allies of Salmond, who was leader of the rival pro-independence Alba Party before his death, reacted furiously to the claims yesterday.

Alba's new leader, Kenny MacAskill, called Sturgeon a “hypocrite” while the party's former general secretary, Chris McEleny, called it a “fabrication”.

MacAskill recently called for a public inquiry into the handling of sexual misconduct complaints against Salmond.

The ex-SNP minister posted on social media: “It’s one thing to be candid in your autobiography, quite another to block openness and transparency when in office and by those you continue to support.

“This hypocrisy is yet another reason for an inquiry into the Scottish Government's actions relating to Alex Salmond.”

McEleny claimed the investigation was a “stitch up” and that several public bodies had “conspired to jail Salmond”.