John Swinney rejects calls for a public inquiry into Alex Salmond 'conspiracy' messages
The First Minister says the messages do not add anything new.
John Swinney says he will not open a public inquiry after messages appearing to show a “plot” to bring down Alex Salmond were published.
The party is facing demands for a police probe and a public inquiry after the messages were said to demonstrate high-ranking SNP officials conspiring against the former first minister.
Allies of Salmond also said the Scottish Government should open a public inquiry.
However, the First Minister has rejected these calls and says the messages do not do anything to what we already know.
Speaking to journalists at the STUC conference in Dundee, Mr Swinney 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.
“I don’t think they really add anything to what any of us knew about these issues before.”
When asked if Mr Salmond was a “good man”, Mr Swinney said: “Alex Salmond did many good things, but obviously there were issues raised about his conduct.”
He was then asked if he would support the opening of a public inquiry, to which he replied: “No.”
Over the weekend messages were published by The Sunday Mail that show senior figures privately doubting some of the experiences against Salmond amounted to criminal investigations.
He also told journalists that Labour MPs do not “have the courage” to sack Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister over the Peter Mandelson scandal.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch have both called for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister after the now sacked Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins said there was pressure from Downing Street to appoint Mandelson.
Mandelson was given the job as US ambassador despite failing security vetting.
When asked by The Scotsman why Sir Keir has not yet resigned, Mr Swinney said: “I think it’s probably to do with the fact that nobody in the Labour Party has the courage to tell him that it’s all over - but it is all over.
“I think the testimony from Olly Robbins today, is that Number 10 was badgering the Foreign Office to get Peter Mandelson appointed as ambassador as quickly as possible, with no obstacles in the way.
“That’s pretty clear from the testimony today, and that is on Keir Starmer.”
The First Minister also made a speech at the conference, where he set out his election pitch to trade unionists.
He said he will always “welcome a strong trade union movement in Scotland” and promised to engage with the STUC if he wins on May 7.
Mr Swinney also used his speech to pledge to fight against the rise of the far-right in Scotland.
He said: “I want to build a Scotland where everyone’s rights are respected - and where every person is given the chance to make their contribution to Scotland’s story.
“And in that respect let me set out as openly as I possibly can - when it comes to the Reform party, I will have absolutely no truck with Nigel Farage or his cronies in Scotland.
“There will be no deals with them. No backroom conversations. I will use every power and opportunity at my disposal to lock Farage and the far-right out of influence at Holyrood.”
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