Home Politics Alex Salmond quits Scottish National Party

Scotland’s former First Minister Alex Salmond quit his party late Wednesday amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

In a statement, Salmond said he was resigning to avoid division within the Scottish National Party (SNP), which has faced calls to suspend him.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Salmond said: “I truly love the SNP and the wider independence movement in Scotland. They have been the defining commitment of my life. But today I have written to the national secretary of the party resigning my membership.”

Salmond’s statement said he would reapply to the party after clearing his name. He also launched a crowd-funding appeal to help pay his legal costs.

Reports emerged last week that two Scottish government staffers had lodged complaints in January about Salmond’s behavior when he was first minister. Police were informed of incidents alleged to have taken place in Bute House — the official grace-and-favor residence of the Scottish first minister — in December 2013, according to the Daily Record.

Salmond last week issued a public denial of the “patently ridiculous” allegations and explained in a statement on Twitter that he was taking the Scottish government to court over the way it has handled the accusations of sexual harassment.

His successor as first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said on Twitter: “I feel a huge sadness about this whole situation. Alex has been my friend and mentor for almost 30 years.”

But she added that “the hard fact remains that two complaints were received by the Scottish government that could not be ignored or swept under the carpet. Complaints must be investigated without fear or favour.”


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