Alex Salmond denies sexual harassment allegations

Former first minister Alex Salmond is taking the Scottish Government to court following allegations of sexual harassment against him.

Salmond has denied the allegations – which date back to 2013 when he was still in office – and has initiated legal proceedings over the Scottish Government’s complaint procedure, according to the Daily Record.

The Scottish Government has said it will “defend its position vigorously” as a matter of “principle and integrity.”

The Daily Record today revealed that Salmond was reported to police over allegations he sexually assaulted two staff members during his time as first minister.

One of the attacks is alleged to have taken place in December, 2013 at his official residence, Bute House in Edinburgh.

Salmond has released a statement outlining his position.

In it, he said: “For many months now, and on the advice of Senior Counsel, I have attempted to persuade the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government that she is behaving unlawfully in the application of a complaints procedure, introduced by her more than three years after I left office.

"This is a procedure so unjust that even now I have not been allowed to see and therefore to properly challenge the case against me. I have not been allowed to see the evidence.

“I have tried everything, including offers of conciliation, mediation and legal arbitration to resolve these matters both properly and amicably.

"This would have been in everybody’s interests, particularly those of the two complainants. All of these efforts have been rejected.”

He added: “It is therefore with great reluctance that I have today launched a Judicial Review in the Court of Session which will decide the issue of the lawfulness of the procedure which has been used against me.

"If I lose then I will have to answer to the complaints both comprehensively and publicly.

"Until then I am bound to say nothing which would impinge on the Court proceedings.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson told the Daily Record: "We can confirm that Alex Salmond has initiated legal proceedings against the Scottish Government and as a result we are restricted in what we can say.

"However, the Scottish government will defend its position vigorously. As a matter of principle and integrity, it is vital that any allegations of harassment are treated seriously and investigated thoroughly, regardless of the identity of the party involved."