Carmichael Admitted Truth About Memo '5 Days After Election'
Former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael first revealed the full truth about his involvement in leaking a confidential memo five days after the general election, a court has heard.
The Liberal Democrat MP said he explained the full background'' when he was interviewed for the official inquiry into the leak on May 12 this year.
The Orkney and Shetland MP also told a court he thought it was politically beneficial'' for the memo concerning First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to be leaked.
Mr Carmichael was giving evidence on the first day of a four-day Election Court hearing taking place at the Court of Session buildings in Edinburgh.
Four of Mr Carmichael's constituents are behind a court bid to oust him after he admitted allowing the leak of the memo which wrongly claimed Ms Sturgeon wanted David Cameron to remain in Downing Street at May's general election.
Mr Carmichael initially denied having prior knowledge of the memo leak, which emerged around a month before voters went to the polls on May 7. But he later admitted he had allowed his special adviser Euan Roddin to release details of the document, which appeared in the Daily Telegraph on April 3.
The court heard how a Cabinet Office inquiry into the leak was launched shortly after the newspaper article was printed.
Mr Carmichael told the court he was less than fully truthful'' with the inquiry initially.
I felt I could truthfully answer, 'No, I didn't leak it','' he told QC Jonathan Mitchell, acting for the four petitioners.
The lawyer said it was only because Mr Roddin had used his own phone to contact the newspaper that an evidence trail emerged.
But Mr Carmichael denied misleading the inquiry and told the court: The inquiry has to find evidence and put evidence to the people.''
The court also heard how those with knowledge of the memo had to fill in a questionnaire for the inquiry.
You are obviously at this stage not coming up with the truth of the matter, are you?'' asked Mr Mitchell.
I was not giving the full truth,'' Mr Carmichael replied. He told the court he ultimately accepted responsibility when he was interviewed for the inquiry.
Mr Mitchell put it to him: On the 12th of May you go to a face-to-face interview. At that point you say for the first time 'I did it, I'm the person'.''
The MP replied: I explained the full background, yes.'' Mr Mitchell then suggested Mr Carmichael had thereforemanaged to keep the ball in the air until after the election''.
No,'' replied Mr Carmichael.