Nicola Sturgeon reveals undisclosed messages between FM & Alex Salmond

Nicola Sturgeon has revealed previously undisclosed messages between her and Alex Salmond.

The First Minister was accused of withholding the WhatsApp exchanges but insisted they were "not a big revelation."

Speaking on Sky News, Ms Sturgeon acknowledged the messages did make "an oblique reference" to claims of inappropriate conduct by Mr Salmond - despite saying she released all relevant evidence to the Holyrood investigation into the Scottish Government's botched handling of harassment allegations which it investigated.

Ms Sturgeon's disclosure followed a report in The Times on Saturday that Mr Salmond's lawyers were accusing her of holding back certain messages the pair exchanged on WhatsApp.

Challenged about the claims while appearing on the Sophie Ridge On Sunday programme on Sky News, Ms Sturgeon offered to read out the messages she believed Mr Salmond's lawyers were referring to.

She said she was "setting up a conversation" to discuss an enquiry by Sky News in 2017 concerning allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Mr Salmond.

The messages, which Ms Sturgeon said were sent during the week of November 5 2017, also suggest Mr Salmond did not tell her he was to start hosting a show on Kremlin-backed broadcaster Russia Today.

Asked about the undisclosed messages, Ms Sturgeon said: "Around about the time I spoke to (Mr Salmond) about the Sky News query, I sent him a message on November 5 saying, 'Hi, when you free to speak this morning?'.

"He replies saying '10am'.

"That's when I asked him, 'What is this Sky thing?'

"I go back to him later that day to say, 'Any developments?'

"The next day, I say, 'You free for a word?'

"So I was setting up a conversation that I have told the parliamentary inquiry about, it's hardly a big revelation.

"Later that week, incidentally, I messaged him to say, 'No wonder you didn't want to tell me'.

"That's just after I find out that he's agreed to host a regular show on Russia Today, and it reflects my incredulity at that decision.

"I think his response to me then makes an oblique reference to the Sky News query, so that may be what he's talking about."

Mr Salmond was acquitted of 13-charges of sexual assault, attempted rape and indecent assault at the High Court in Edinburgh in March.

The court case followed a legal battle which saw him awarded more than £500,000 when the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled a Scottish Government investigation into his conduct was unlawful.

In a statement, Alex statement said: 'I have made no public comment since I was acquitted of all charges in the High Court in March and have made it clear that the first time I will comment is in front of the Parliamentary Committee.

'This Committee was established to inquire into the conduct of the First Minister, her special advisers and civil servants after her Government’s behaviour was found to be "unlawful", "unfair" and "tainted by apparent bias" and at enormous cost to the public purse.'

A source close to Mr Salmond added: ' There is little point in the First Minister pledging full support for and co-operation with a Committee, the remit of which is to consider and report on her actions and that of her government, only for her to complain about the inevitable scrutiny that involves.

'The focus of the Judicial Review and the criminal case was largely on Mr Salmond.

'By contrast, the stated remit of the Parliamentary Committee is about the First Minister and the conduct of her administration in wasting huge sums of public money defending behaviour which was later conceded to have been "unlawful", "unfair" and "tainted by apparent bias."'

Reacting to the First Minister's television appearance, Scottish Conservative spokesman on the Salmond inquiry, Murdo Fraser MSP, said: "The scandal-ridden SNP are openly feuding while the Scottish public wait for answers about when Nicola Sturgeon first became aware of Alex Salmond’s alleged behaviour.

"The First Minister danced on the head of a pin, again, to avoid the question of what she knew and when.

"Forgetful Nicola Sturgeon managed to find secret messages between her and Alex Salmond that she withheld from the Holyrood committee.

"The question remains – what else is she hiding?"