Humza Yousaf accuses Alex Salmond of abusing power in office

Former First Minister Humza Yousaf has accused his predecessor Alex Salmond of abusing his energy whereas in workplace.

Mr Salmond, who was cleared of allegations of sexual impropriety within the Excessive Court docket in 2020, mentioned he had a “sleepy cuddle” with one complainer in his official residence.

Responding to the criticism, made in a brand new BBC documentary, he mentioned Mr Yousaf had been “diminished to smears” in a “quest for relevance”.

Considerations are additionally raised within the present about Mr Salmond’s mood, with one former colleague saying she was dropped at tears.

The previous first minister has beforehand defended his conduct in authorities, and has mentioned that he’s resting on the decision of his trial.

He has accused high-ranking members of the federal government led by his protégé, Nicola Sturgeon, of conspiring in opposition to him – one thing she dismissed as “absurd”.

Mr Salmond led the federal government between 2007 and 2014, with Ms Sturgeon succeeding him.

Their relationship broke down following complaints about his conduct, each to Scottish authorities officers and to the police.

Mr Salmond efficiently took civil authorized motion in opposition to Ms Sturgeon’s administration for its dealing with of an inner investigation – dominated to be “tainted with obvious bias” – and was awarded £500,000.

On the subsequent felony trial, Mr Salmond admitted to having a “sleepy cuddle” with one complainer and what his defence lawyer referred to as “a little bit of how’s your father” with one other.

Each members of workers have been significantly youthful than the ex-first minister.

Mr Yousaf, who changed Ms Sturgeon after she unexpectedly resigned last year, instructed the BBC documentary that the primary minister is ordinarily probably the most highly effective particular person within the room.

“You’ll be able to select to make use of that energy appropriately or you may select to abuse it,” the previous SNP chief mentioned.

“And on too many events, given the behaviour that Alex has already admitted, there was too many situations of that abuse of energy.”

He additionally mentioned the civil courtroom defeat made the federal government look “incompetent”.

Mr Salmond branded his critic “Humza the temporary”, calling him “the brand new self-appointed authority on private conduct and morality”.

“I’m comfy with my contribution as first minister to advancing Scotland’s pursuits and the reason for independence,” he mentioned.

“I doubt Humza can say the identical, nor that it is going to be mentioned of him.”

Posting concerning the documentary on X, Mr Salmond steered he regretted participating in what he didn’t think about to be “severe programming”.

He mentioned the second episode, which centered on the investigations into allegations of harassment, “plumbed new depths even for the BBC”.

The BBC has been requested to remark.

Within the documentary, Mr Salmond mentioned he regretted that he not spoke to Ms Sturgeon.

“I do not actually do damage emotions very a lot … however it’s a giant remorse that Nicola and I are not on talking phrases,” he mentioned. “And I severely doubt if it is going to enhance.”

The ex-SNP chief added: “Now that is an incredible pity, as a result of I did point out that you simply should not say something is eternally, however that is the way in which it appears to be like and that is simply the way in which it is going to be.

“We’ll simply should let the previous deal with itself.”

A Holyrood inquiry into the federal government’s dealing with of complaints in opposition to Mr Salmond discovered Ms Sturgeon had misled MSPs over a gathering along with her predecessor in her dwelling in 2018, however cleared her of breaching the ministerial code.

In 2021, Mr Salmond launched the Alba Get together. It has been extremely crucial of Ms Sturgeon, Mr Yousaf and present first minister John Swinney.

Ms Sturgeon mentioned Mr Salmond was “for a very long time, a really constructive power in my life”, including: “However I feel I needed to learn to be myself.”

Mr Salmond described himself as a “robust taskmaster” when he was accountable for the federal government.

Ms Sturgeon mentioned her predecessor was susceptible to “outbursts” and that his mood “was uncontrolled” at instances.

She mentioned whereas folks within the SNP had “discovered to place up with” it, she steered it was not “truly at all times acceptable” when in authorities.

Former SNP MSP Linda Fabiani instructed the documentary: “Alec would let rip.

“The primary time it occurred to me I used to be so shocked, somewhat bit tearful on the way in which dwelling.”

She mentioned she didn’t think about it bullying.

Mr Salmond’s former adviser Geoff Aberdein mentioned he was sacked seven instances. “For some motive he’d at all times anticipate to see me the following day,” he added.

Mr Aberdein additionally mentioned that his former boss was “very, very indignant” about losing his Westminster seat in 2017, believing he had been “let down” by the social gathering.

Following the election defeat, Mr Salmond launched a show on Russian state broadcaster RT.

Ms Sturgeon mentioned her former mentor knew how troublesome the job was, including: “Shouldn’t he have tried a bit more durable to ensure that managing his ego wasn’t one of many issues that landed on my desk?”

Liz Lloyd, Ms Sturgeon’s ex-chief of workers, instructed the documentary: “It was an actual signal that he didn’t actually care how he was perceived any extra.

“He was going to do what served him and never what served the social gathering, not what served the nation.”

Mr Salmond, who suspended his RT show in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, mentioned his successor had been “irritated” as a result of she had not been instructed concerning the present earlier than it launched.

He added: “I wasn’t a member of parliament. The best factor to say was Alec makes his selections, I make mine, full cease.”

Mr Salmond is in an ongoing legal battle against the Scottish government, alleging that no-one was held “accountable” for the botched dealing with of its harassment inquiry.

He lodged a Court docket of Session petition alleging misfeasance – the wrongful train of lawful authority – by civil servants. The federal government mentioned it might defend its place “robustly”.

SNP MSP Fergus Ewing – a former cupboard minister and frequent critic of the current social gathering management – claimed there had been a “concerted marketing campaign” to “destroy” Mr Salmond by senior figures in Ms Sturgeon’s authorities.

He instructed BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme that the ex-first minister’s repute was “completely intact” after being acquitted.

Requested about Mr Salmond’s management type, Mr Ewing mentioned: “You want a powerful chief you don’t want a shrinking violent. Who amongst us is ideal.”

Throughout the Scottish Parliament inquiry, Ms Sturgeon dismissed as “absurd” solutions that anybody in her authorities acted with “malice” or as a part of a “plot”. “That declare is just not primarily based in any truth,” she instructed MSPs.

She mentioned that whereas errors have been “undoubtedly” made, the federal government “tried to do the correct factor”.

Salmond and Sturgeon – A Troubled Union is out there on BBC iPlayer from Tuesday, in addition to being broadcast on the BBC Scotland channel on Tuesday and Wednesday.