No Salmond showdown at Holyrood inquiry this week
The former First Minister won't be appearing in front of a committee on Tuesday
Alex Salmond will not be appearing before a Scottish Parliament committee investigating the handling of harassment complaints against him tomorrow.
Officials say the former First Minister has not confirmed that he was intending to appear, and therefore the evidence hearing will not go ahead.
A Scottish Parliament spokeswoman said: "Mr Salmond has not confirmed that he will attend the committee meeting on Tuesday and he has raised a number of issues for clarification. Tuesday's evidence session will therefore not go ahead.
"Mr Salmond had been contacted to make it clear that he can speak freely in committee about all of his contact with Nicola Sturgeon and his views on her actions.
"He was given the opportunity to make a lengthy opening statement on Tuesday and would have had four hours to answer questions in public. He was also invited to send more written evidence for publication after the meeting.
"The committee has already published two lengthy submissions from Mr Salmond and many, many pages of records and documents from him that he has been invited to speak freely about in Parliament on Tuesday. All of this written and oral evidence could then be reflected in the committee's report.
"The committee continues to communicate with Mr Salmond's representatives.''
Inquiry in crisis
Speaking to West FM before confirmation that Mr Salmond wouldn't be appearing committee member Alex Cole-Hamilton expressed his frustration: "There's no question the inquiry is in crisis, him no appearing undermines all the work we are doing.
"We cannot hope to find justice for the women at the heart of these complains if we are unable to cross-examine the subject of the Government's investigation.
"The Scottish Government failed these women terribly, but we won't understand the full extent of that unless we're able to hear from Mr Salmond himself."
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