Alex Salmond’s estate seeks ‘bankruptcy’ over legal costs
The former first minister sued the Scottish Government over its handling of two harassment cases
The estate of former first minister Alex Salmond has been forced to seek the equivalent of bankruptcy – over costs of court action.
Salmond successfully sued the Scottish Government for £512,000 over the handling of two harassment complaints against him by civil servants, which was ruled to have been “tainted by apparent bias”.
He was later acquitted of a series of sexual misconduct charges at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Salmond’s former lawyers at Levy and McRae are acting on behalf of his wife Moira in winding up his estate.
David McKie, a senior partner at the firm, said it was a matter of “great satisfaction” for Salmond to win both cases, but that success came at a “huge cost” personally and financially.
McKie said the step of appointing a trustee in sequestration on behalf of Salmond's widow Moira is “a very unfortunate one, but is also necessary, taken to protect her interests and those of creditors.
"It is a matter of profound regret that Alex had to invest so much time and money in clearing his name.
"But most people will understand that faced with such attacks and an unlawful process brought against him, there was no choice for Alex but to defend himself with every resource available to him.
"This matter will now rightly be passed to the Accountant in Bankruptcy and, if appointed, the new Trustees in Sequestration."
He added: "We were instructed by Alex Salmond throughout the years of his successful cases in the High Court and Court of Session.
"It was a matter of great satisfaction for him, and for Moira, that he was successful in exposing the unlawful conduct of the Scottish Government and then clearing his name over criminal allegations in the highest courts in Scotland.
"But that success came at a huge cost - both in terms of the strain imposed on him personally and in terms of the financial pressure which funding that process of vindication imposed."
Salmond died in October 2024 aged 69 after suffering a heart attack while at an event in North Macedonia.