Court rules constituents will not pay Lib Dem MP's legal fees in memo court case
Four constituents who unsuccessfully challenged the election of Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael will not have to pay his legal fees, a court has ruled.
A hearing took place at the Court of Session in Edinburgh to determine who should be responsible for costs after the former Scottish secretary survived a bid to oust him from his Orkney and Shetland seat.
Judges ruled in December he did not break electoral law by lying about a leaked memo ahead of the general election.
Lady Paton and Lord Matthews found that while Mr Carmichael had told a ''blatant lie'' during a television interview about the leaked document, which wrongly claimed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she wanted David Cameron to remain in Downing Street, it had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt he had committed an ''illegal practice''.
After hearing legal arguments from both sides, Lady Paton said: In all the circumstances, exercising our discretion, we consider this to be in effect a case with divided success.
Accordingly, we find no expenses due to or by any party.''