Alex Salmond launches legal action against Scottish Government

Former First Minister Alex Salmond has launched legal action against the Scottish Government over the botched investigation into sexual misconduct claims against him.

Salmond is understood to have lodged a petition at the Court of Session alleging “misfeasance” by civil servants, according to a report in The Herald.

The former SNP leader has already been awarded more than £500,000 in costs after taking the government to court in 2019 over its mishandling of the complaints against him.

Salmond was cleared of sexual assault charges in a separate criminal trial which took place in 2020.

It is reported Salmond, now leader of Alba, is seeking damages and loss of earnings in the region of £3m.

The Scottish Government admitted it had acted unlawfully in its investigation and paid the former first minister's legal fees of £512,000 after he launched a judicial review.

A cross-party committee of MSPs set up to investigate the Scottish Government’s handling of the complaints against the former first minister later concluded it had been “seriously flawed”.

More to follow.