Alistair Carmichael legal challenge will be broadcast live

A legal challenge over the election of Scotland’s only Liberal Democrat MP will be broadcast live.

STV News cameras will be in court next week when proceedings in a petition brought by a number of constituents challenging the election of Alistair Carmichael as MP for Orkney and Shetland get underway.

It will be the first time proceedings in the Election Court will be broadcast live after the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service reached an agreement with STV  

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Earlier this year a judge-led group appointed by the Lord President recommended that filming of legal debates in civil first instance proceedings may be allowed for live transmission, subject to guidelines.

The Lord Justice Clerk, Lord Carloway, has granted permission for live broadcast arrangements to be put in place to allow constituents in Orkney and Shetland to watch the Election Court hearing.

The case has been raised by four of Carmichael’s constituents, who argue that he misled the electorate over a leaked memo claiming that SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon would rather have seen David Cameron remain prime minister.

The Election Court trial will start at 10.30am next Monday in Court 1 at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in front of Lady Paton and Lord Matthews.

Proceedings will be broadcast on STV Glasgow and STV Edinburgh and streamed live on the STV website as well courtesy of special remotely controlled cameras inside the court.  

Journalists will also be allowed to use Twitter to tweet live from the courtroom during the course of the hearing.