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| Pressure grows on Alistair Carmichael over anti-Sturgeon leak | Pressure grows on Alistair Carmichael over anti-Sturgeon leak |
| (1 day later) | |
| Alistair Carmichael, who admitted he was responsible for an election leak intended to discredit the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, has denied that he initially lied about his knowledge of it. | Alistair Carmichael, who admitted he was responsible for an election leak intended to discredit the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, has denied that he initially lied about his knowledge of it. |
| Following a Cabinet Office inquiry, the Lib Dem former Scottish secretary admitted he authorised his special adviser to release a memo about a private conversation in which Scotland’s first minister purportedly said she wanted David Cameron to remain as prime minister. | Following a Cabinet Office inquiry, the Lib Dem former Scottish secretary admitted he authorised his special adviser to release a memo about a private conversation in which Scotland’s first minister purportedly said she wanted David Cameron to remain as prime minister. |
| Related: Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael admits responsibility for anti-Sturgeon leak | Related: Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael admits responsibility for anti-Sturgeon leak |
| Among those calling for him to consider his position over the weekend, including Sturgeon herself, the point has been made that his sanctioning of the leak was compounded by the fact that he lied about his knowledge of it at the time and he was thus re-elected as the only Liberal Democrat MP in Scotland on a false prospectus. | Among those calling for him to consider his position over the weekend, including Sturgeon herself, the point has been made that his sanctioning of the leak was compounded by the fact that he lied about his knowledge of it at the time and he was thus re-elected as the only Liberal Democrat MP in Scotland on a false prospectus. |
| The day after the story was first published in the Daily Telegraph in April, Carmichael flatly denied having had any role in leaking the memo. He told Channel 4 News: “I’ve told you the first I became aware of this, and this is already on the public record, was when I received a phone call on Friday afternoon from a journalist making me aware of it.” | The day after the story was first published in the Daily Telegraph in April, Carmichael flatly denied having had any role in leaking the memo. He told Channel 4 News: “I’ve told you the first I became aware of this, and this is already on the public record, was when I received a phone call on Friday afternoon from a journalist making me aware of it.” |
| Speaking on BBC Radio Orkney’s Around Orkney programme on Monday morning, Carmichael offered a rather convoluted explanation for why this was not an outright lie. | Speaking on BBC Radio Orkney’s Around Orkney programme on Monday morning, Carmichael offered a rather convoluted explanation for why this was not an outright lie. |
| “What was true was that the first time I had seen that document in its detail, in its text, was when I saw it published in the pages of the Daily Telegraph,” he said. | “What was true was that the first time I had seen that document in its detail, in its text, was when I saw it published in the pages of the Daily Telegraph,” he said. |
| “The proposal came to me by my staff, who said this is what was in this document, we think it should be put in the public domain, we believe it is in the public interest that it should be put out there that there’s something different being said in public compared to what is being said in private.” | “The proposal came to me by my staff, who said this is what was in this document, we think it should be put in the public domain, we believe it is in the public interest that it should be put out there that there’s something different being said in public compared to what is being said in private.” |
| Carmichael, who will return to Orkney on Monday afternoon after spending the weekend in Germany at a sporting event, added: “At that point I should have said, ‘No, don’t do it’. That was the mistake that I made here. That’s something that I cannot now undo. That is what I regret. | Carmichael, who will return to Orkney on Monday afternoon after spending the weekend in Germany at a sporting event, added: “At that point I should have said, ‘No, don’t do it’. That was the mistake that I made here. That’s something that I cannot now undo. That is what I regret. |
| Related: The Guardian view on Alistair Carmichael: he should stay – for now | Editorial | |
| “That’s what I have apologised for and now the job that I have to do is to get on with the job that I’ve been elected to do as member of parliament for Orkney and Shetland.” | “That’s what I have apologised for and now the job that I have to do is to get on with the job that I’ve been elected to do as member of parliament for Orkney and Shetland.” |
| Pressed on his position after online polls and demonstrations in his constituency calling for a byelection, Carmichael insisted: “I’ve worked hard for local people and I believe that’s the record that I’m entitled to rely [on].” | Pressed on his position after online polls and demonstrations in his constituency calling for a byelection, Carmichael insisted: “I’ve worked hard for local people and I believe that’s the record that I’m entitled to rely [on].” |
| Also speaking on the Around Orkney programme, the SNP’s general election candidate, Danus Skene, who slashed Carmichael’s majority from more than 10,000 to 817 votes, said that the voters of Orkney and Shetland were owed an apology. He added that the MP was now a “discredited and isolated backbencher” who would struggle to adequately represent his constituents. | Also speaking on the Around Orkney programme, the SNP’s general election candidate, Danus Skene, who slashed Carmichael’s majority from more than 10,000 to 817 votes, said that the voters of Orkney and Shetland were owed an apology. He added that the MP was now a “discredited and isolated backbencher” who would struggle to adequately represent his constituents. |
| The SNP’s leader of the Commons, Pete Wishart, later reiterated his party’s calls for Carmichael to stand down and for a full investigation by the parliamentary commissioner for standards.. | The SNP’s leader of the Commons, Pete Wishart, later reiterated his party’s calls for Carmichael to stand down and for a full investigation by the parliamentary commissioner for standards.. |
| “His comments today [Monday] indicate that as secretary of state for Scotland he was content to authorise a leak of a paper he now says he hadn’t even seen. But the assumption must be that the memo, which was an official note by a Scotland Office civil servant, would have been written for the purpose of sending to ministers – during the period before the election campaign started on 30 March when Mr Carmichael was an MP. “Mr Carmichael must now explain if he was sent a copy of the memo before authorising the leak. If he was, he must then explain why he apparently failed to read his own ministerial papers. A formal investigation by the standards commissioner would help shed light on these matters, which encompass the period before the House of Commons was dissolved.” | “His comments today [Monday] indicate that as secretary of state for Scotland he was content to authorise a leak of a paper he now says he hadn’t even seen. But the assumption must be that the memo, which was an official note by a Scotland Office civil servant, would have been written for the purpose of sending to ministers – during the period before the election campaign started on 30 March when Mr Carmichael was an MP. “Mr Carmichael must now explain if he was sent a copy of the memo before authorising the leak. If he was, he must then explain why he apparently failed to read his own ministerial papers. A formal investigation by the standards commissioner would help shed light on these matters, which encompass the period before the House of Commons was dissolved.” |
| Related: Nicola Sturgeon denies saying she wanted David Cameron to win election | |
| If the commissioner decides to investigate, she will submit her findings to the parliamentary committee on standards, which has the power to recommend sanctions, including the suspension of an MP. | If the commissioner decides to investigate, she will submit her findings to the parliamentary committee on standards, which has the power to recommend sanctions, including the suspension of an MP. |
| In a rather less likely scenario, under the Representation of the People Act 1983, voters or disappointed candidates can lodge a petition questioning the result of a parliamentary election if they believe corruption or illegality has occurred. | In a rather less likely scenario, under the Representation of the People Act 1983, voters or disappointed candidates can lodge a petition questioning the result of a parliamentary election if they believe corruption or illegality has occurred. |
| Although the demonstration in Lerwick on Saturday was organised by SNP activists, locals report that the mood against Carmichael extends significantly more widely across the islands, with more events planned for this week. | Although the demonstration in Lerwick on Saturday was organised by SNP activists, locals report that the mood against Carmichael extends significantly more widely across the islands, with more events planned for this week. |
| The Shetland News columnist and teacher Genevieve White, a long-standing Labour voter, said: “I was pretty surprised to hear about Alistair Carmichael’s part in the leak. He won by a fairly narrow margin here anyway, and I think many of the people who did vote for him will now be regretting their choice. Under these circumstances, I think it seems fair that Shetland and Orkney get another vote.” | The Shetland News columnist and teacher Genevieve White, a long-standing Labour voter, said: “I was pretty surprised to hear about Alistair Carmichael’s part in the leak. He won by a fairly narrow margin here anyway, and I think many of the people who did vote for him will now be regretting their choice. Under these circumstances, I think it seems fair that Shetland and Orkney get another vote.” |
| On Sunday, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Willie Rennie, said that the party’s executive had met over the weekend and pledged their continuing support to Carmichael. | On Sunday, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Willie Rennie, said that the party’s executive had met over the weekend and pledged their continuing support to Carmichael. |
| Describing the leak as “an aberration”, he said: “I have known Alistair for almost 30 years and have worked closely with him in parliament for almost a decade. I have always been impressed by his energy, dedication and professionalism. He has served Orkney and Shetland for 14 years and has been elected on four separate occasions. It is clear to me that recent events are an aberration. | Describing the leak as “an aberration”, he said: “I have known Alistair for almost 30 years and have worked closely with him in parliament for almost a decade. I have always been impressed by his energy, dedication and professionalism. He has served Orkney and Shetland for 14 years and has been elected on four separate occasions. It is clear to me that recent events are an aberration. |
| “As a liberal I believe that people deserve a second chance. I hope fair-minded people would agree that Alistair Carmichael should be given that second chance.” | “As a liberal I believe that people deserve a second chance. I hope fair-minded people would agree that Alistair Carmichael should be given that second chance.” |
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