Nicola Sturgeon denies breaching ministerial code over Alex Salmond - BBC News
Scotland's first minister says she will challenge "ridiculous conspiracy theories" when she faces an inquiry.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Nicola Sturgeon was asked if she would resign by Labour's Jackie Baillie

Nicola Sturgeon has denied breaching the ministerial code by meeting Alex Salmond while claims against him were being investigated by her government.

Scottish Conservative group leader Ruth Davidson said there was a "cover up at the heart of government" over the row.

But the first minister said she would rebut "ridiculous conspiracy theories" when she faces a Holyrood inquiry.

And she hinted that the committee should use its powers to compel her predecessor, Mr Salmond, to appear too.

The former first minister is now not expected to give oral evidence after the committee said he had set conditions they "simply could never meet".

The Holyrood inquiry was set up after the government admitted its investigation of two internal harassment complaints against Mr Salmond had been "unlawful", and agreed to pay him £500,000 in legal expenses.

Ms Sturgeon also commissioned an independent review of whether or not she broke the ministerial code in her dealings with her former mentor during the process, with both probes expected to report back in the coming months.

Ms Davidson said the first minister had "chosen not to tell officials in advance and not keep a record" of the meetings with Mr Salmond, and said she had told MSPs "things that are utterly contradicted by her own evidence and testimony".

She added: "We have failed women, taxpayers money and a cover up at the heart of government - this whole affair stinks to high heaven."

Ms Sturgeon, who is expected to finally give evidence to the committee next week after the session was repeatedly postponed, said she was "relishing" the prospect.

She said: "I certainly hope to be sitting in front of the committee answering all of these questions on oath next Tuesday morning, and people can listen to that and make up their own minds.

"I believe it is important to subject myself to scrutiny, but also to have the opportunity to take head on some of the ridiculous conspiracy theories that people like Ruth Davidson have been all too quick to want to indulge."

Alex Salmond had been due to give evidence on Tuesday, but the session was called off and looks unlikely to be rearranged

Ms Sturgeon was also pressed by Scottish Labour's interim leader Jackie Baillie, who said ministers who knowingly mislead parliament are expected to resign.

She asked Ms Sturgeon whether she would quit if she was found to have breached the code - but the first minister said she would not engage with the "hypothetical" question.

Ms Sturgeon added: "I do not consider that I breached the ministerial code - I will make that case very, very robustly.

"I know why the opposition are desperate to get rid of me, I'm under no illusions about that. But I like everyone else am entitled to due process."

Ms Sturgeon also hinted that the inquiry committee should use Holyrood's powers to compel Mr Salmond to appear, saying it should not "indulge conspiracy theories without insisting people come before the committee to substantiate those theories".

She said: "I still hope the committee will perhaps use the powers that are available to it to make sure everybody relevant sits before it and gives evidence."

Parliamentary committees do have the power to compel witnesses to attend, although there is an exemption if they can provide a "reasonable excuse".

Mr Salmond had said he would only appear if MSPs agreed to publish his written submissions in full, and to give certain guarantees about what he could speak about.

The committee was split over whether to publish one submission - which included detailed claims about Ms Sturgeon breaching the ministerial code - but narrowly voted down the proposal along party lines.

Ms Sturgeon also defended her husband, Peter Murrell, against opposition claims that he had contradicted himself

On Monday, the inquiry committee questioned SNP chief executive Peter Murrell - Ms Sturgeon's husband - amid a dispute over whether he had given contradictory evidence about his wife's meetings with Mr Salmond.

He told members that his previous evidence about the meetings being a government matter - rather than SNP business, as Ms Sturgeon has claimed - was "speculation on my part".

He said he would "absolutely refute" claims that he had given "false information", adding: "It's pretty simple, I think you're trying to suggest things or knowledge that I just don't have about these things."

During Thursday's Holyrood questions, Ms Davidson said that Mr Murrell "may have committed perjury by changing his story under oath".

Ms Sturgeon insisted that her husband "did tell the truth", adding that he "is perfectly capable of standing up for himself".

She added: "It's clear to everyone why the opposition parties are so keen to drag Peter Murrell into a process he had no part in and try to damage him. Perhaps they know how integral he's been to the electoral success of the SNP, and conversely the electoral defeat of their parties."

Ms Davidson later said Ms Sturgeon had "backed herself into a corner" by supporting Mr Murrell's account, saying she was "dismantling her own evidence".

She said: "If the SNP chief executive told the truth under oath, as Nicola Sturgeon insisted today, then the first minister misled parliament and broke the Ministerial Code.

"Peter Murrell said the Sturgeon-Salmond meetings were government business. The first minister has told the Parliament that they were not.

"That is a glaring contradiction. Both accounts cannot be correct."