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Alistair Carmichael bullied by SNP - Sir Malcolm Bruce Bruce defends Alistair Carmichael: Politicians tell lies
(35 minutes later)
The SNP want to "extinguish all opposition" in Scotland by trying to force Alistair Carmichael out as an MP, a senior Lib Dem has claimed. Politicians tell "brazen lies", senior Lib Dem Sir Malcolm Bruce has claimed as he defended the actions of ex-Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael.
The ex-Scottish secretary has faced calls to resign after admitting he backed the leaking of a memo during the election incorrectly suggesting Nicola Sturgeon wanted David Cameron as PM. Mr Carmichael is facing calls to resign after admitting he backed the leaking of a memo during the election campaign incorrectly suggesting Nicola Sturgeon wanted David Cameron as prime minister.
Ex-Lib Dem deputy leader Sir Malcolm Bruce said the MP had made a mistake. The MP for Orkney and Shetland said previously he had not been aware of it.
But he said it was not unprecedented for politicians to "tell lies". Sir Malcolm said the MP had been wrong but lying was common in public life.
The SNP have called on Mr Carmichael - the only remaining Lib Dem MP in Scotland - to consider his position after an official Cabinet Office inquiry found he approved the leak of an official memo by his special adviser to a newspaper during the campaign.The SNP have called on Mr Carmichael - the only remaining Lib Dem MP in Scotland - to consider his position after an official Cabinet Office inquiry found he approved the leak of an official memo by his special adviser to a newspaper during the campaign.
The document, written by a civil servant in the Scotland Office, claimed the Scottish First Minister told the French Ambassador to the UK that she would prefer Mr Cameron as prime minister rather than Ed Miliband - comments Ms Sturgeon has always insisted she never made.The document, written by a civil servant in the Scotland Office, claimed the Scottish First Minister told the French Ambassador to the UK that she would prefer Mr Cameron as prime minister rather than Ed Miliband - comments Ms Sturgeon has always insisted she never made.
'First-class MP''First-class MP'
At the time, Mr Carmichael said the first he had heard of the memo was when he was contacted by a journalist.At the time, Mr Carmichael said the first he had heard of the memo was when he was contacted by a journalist.
He has since acknowledged that while he had not seen the document before it was published, he was aware of its content and agreed that it should be made public.He has since acknowledged that while he had not seen the document before it was published, he was aware of its content and agreed that it should be made public.
The SNP say they will refer the MP's conduct to the parliamentary standards watchdog, suggesting he is facing a "credibility crisis".The SNP say they will refer the MP's conduct to the parliamentary standards watchdog, suggesting he is facing a "credibility crisis".
Sir Malcolm said Mr Carmichael had faced up to the consequences of his actions, having apologised and foregone the severance pay he was entitled to after losing his Cabinet position.Sir Malcolm said Mr Carmichael had faced up to the consequences of his actions, having apologised and foregone the severance pay he was entitled to after losing his Cabinet position.
But he told the BBC that it was "perfectly reasonable" for him to remain as a "first-class" MP for Orkney and Shetland.But he told the BBC that it was "perfectly reasonable" for him to remain as a "first-class" MP for Orkney and Shetland.
"Alistair has recognised that he has made a mistake," he told Radio 4's Today programme. "People are entitled to make mistakes, learn from them and move on.""Alistair has recognised that he has made a mistake," he told Radio 4's Today programme. "People are entitled to make mistakes, learn from them and move on."
'Divided and bruised''Divided and bruised'
Sir Malcolm said Scotland was a "divided and bruised" country after the election and that Mr Carmichael, as one of only three non-SNP MPs elected to Westminster, had a key role to play in representing his constituents and holding both the UK and Scottish governments to account.Sir Malcolm said Scotland was a "divided and bruised" country after the election and that Mr Carmichael, as one of only three non-SNP MPs elected to Westminster, had a key role to play in representing his constituents and holding both the UK and Scottish governments to account.
The SNP, he said, were "judging people by standards that they do not apply to themselves".The SNP, he said, were "judging people by standards that they do not apply to themselves".
If Mr Carmichael quit, he suggested, "what we will have seen is the SNP bully a very good MP out of office for a mistake he has acknowledged and apologised for".If Mr Carmichael quit, he suggested, "what we will have seen is the SNP bully a very good MP out of office for a mistake he has acknowledged and apologised for".
"The SNP clearly want to extinguish all opposition in Scotland. That is their objective and they will stop at nothing to do it.""The SNP clearly want to extinguish all opposition in Scotland. That is their objective and they will stop at nothing to do it."
Asked whether it would be acceptable for an MP who had not told the truth to remain in office, he replied: "If you are suggesting that every MP who has never quite told the truth or indeed told a brazen lie - including ministers, including Cabinet ministers, including prime ministers - we would clear out the House of Commons very fast, I would suggest. Asked whether it would be acceptable for an MP who had not told the truth to remain in office, he replied: "I'm acknowledging that if (Mr Carmichael) has said 'I didn't know about something I did know in the heated atmosphere of an election campaign' that was part of the mistake, which he has apologised for."
"The answer is that lots of people have told lies and you know that to be perfectly true....We should, of course, hold people to account and if people lie they should take some consequences but Alistair has taken consequences." "My point is if you are suggesting that every MP who has never quite told the truth or indeed told a brazen lie - including ministers, including Cabinet ministers, including prime ministers - we would clear out the House of Commons very fast, I would suggest.
He added: "I'm acknowledging that if (Mr Carmichael) has said 'I didn't know about something I did know in the heated atmosphere of an election campaign' that was part of the mistake, which he has apologised for." Asked if lying was widespread in public life, he said: "No, well, yes. I think the answer is that lots of people have told lies and you know that to be perfectly true....
He added: "We should, of course, hold people to account and if people lie they should take some consequences but Alistair has taken consequences."
Mr Carmichael, who held off the SNP to regain his seat by just over 2,000 votes, will not face any disciplinary action by the Scottish Liberal Democrats following a meeting of its executive on Sunday.Mr Carmichael, who held off the SNP to regain his seat by just over 2,000 votes, will not face any disciplinary action by the Scottish Liberal Democrats following a meeting of its executive on Sunday.