Sunday Times has been given details of the unpublished Geoff Aberdein evidence. Folks, it's explosive stuff. So I'll post a short thread:

[1/5]
1. Sturgeon's team were aware of allegations against Salmond potentially from early March. This is despite Sturgeon's insistence on April 2nd date.

Aberdein's evidence would seem to back up Alex Salmond's testimony concerning what Nicola Sturgeon knew, and when. [2/5]
2. Aberdein's submission confirms that a name of one of the complainants was passed to Aberdein, who then passed this onto Salmond. Aberdein confirms Salmond's claims at his evidence. [3/5]
3. Sturgeon at FMQs (25th Feb 2021) claimed "to the very best of my knowledge, I do not think that happened.". Sadly for her the Geof Aberdein evidence, all submitted under oath, seems to confirm that a complainant's name WAS given to Salmond via Aberdein. [4/5]
4. Jackie Baillie MSP: "In any other employment situation, if a complainant’s name was leaked, it would be a matter of gross misconduct. This would be a most extraordinary breach of confidentiality"
She is not wrong. But nobody has apologised or resigned over any of this. [5/5]

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More from @DeanMThomson

1 Mar
Unbelievable timeline of events if we turn our attention to November 2017 relating to #SalmondInquiry

A meeting between Leslie Evans & Sturgeon happened days after two women first made allegations. The meeting was NOT included in official timeline given to #SalmondInquiry [1/5]
In this previously undisclosed November 29th meeting #ScotGov admitted in pleadings Evans & Sturgeon met to “discuss development” of a new harassment procedure against former ministers. [2/5]
On December 5th, procedure relating to complaints against former ministers was changed. This took Sturgeon out of the loop, as First Minsters would subsequently to Dec 5th only be brought into the loop after investigations completed. [3/5]
Read 7 tweets
1 Mar
Leslie Evans, top civil servant in Scotland, may have destroyed notes of meeting with Sturgeon linked to Salmond probe.

She claims she 'destroys all her notebooks'. She made these comments when Salmond was seeking evidence for his civil challenge in 2018
thescottishsun.co.uk/news/politics/…
This is the same Leslie Evans who had to 'correct' her sworn testimony under oath to the #SalmondInquiry upwards of four times.
Nothing dodgy about any of this...oh no...nothing dodgy in the slightest. Perish the thought! 🤔
Read 4 tweets
28 Feb
A short thread on the Survation poll findings published today. Worth noting this was conducted *before* Salmond even testified before the #SalmondInquiry; and they're still grim reading for the SNP. [1/6]
When undecideds and refused are removed the poll shows a 50/50 split on support for independence. This is the lowest Survation polling support for independence in nine months. [2/6] Image
43% say 'The SNP have been in government too long' versus 41% who think they haven't. [3/6] Image
Read 6 tweets
26 Feb
A short thread about the key points ahead of Salmond's evidence:

1. Sturgeon-Salmond meetings.
The FM claims April 2nd was when she first learned about the allegations into Salmond. However she has subsequently claimed to have 'forgotten' about an earlier March 29 meeting [1/6]
Salmond's submission: “The failure to account for the meeting on 29th March 2018 when making a statement to Parliament, and thereafter failing to correct that false representation is a further breach of the Ministerial Code.”

The dates 29th March & 2nd April are important [2/6]
2. Claims of conspiracy

Salmond has stated a “deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted effort” was made to imprison him. He names Peter Murrell, Ian McCann, Sue Ruddick & Liz Lloyd. If he has no evidence to back this up, then he has risked being sued for defamation [3/6]
Read 6 tweets
26 Feb
The #SalmondInquiry is starting have an impact on the public according to @benatipsosmori data.

*36% say the inquiry has made them less favourable towards the SNP
*Among those who voted SNP in GE, 21% say it has made them less favourable towards the SNP.

ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-… ImageImage
Also, support for independence has dipped.

" 52% say they would vote Yes while 48% would vote No. This is lower than in November 2020, when Ipsos MORI/STV polling showed a larger Yes lead (56% Yes/ 44% No)." Image
Nicola Sturgeon's satisfaction ratings are also falling. Ipsos data shows a 16 point fall in her satisfaction numbers when last polled in October 2020.

Meanwhile Scottish Labour voters are inclined toward Sarwar over Lennon: 40% saying he would be best leader, 35% say Lennon. Image
Read 4 tweets

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