The Alex Salmond Inquiry has been branded an "embarrassing disgrace" after it voted against publishing evidence from the former SNP leader for a second time.
The cross-party committee of MSPs voted 5-4 against publishing "any version" of a December submission by Salmond on the Government's Ministerial code, despite him handing over a revised version.
The former first minister alleges in his evidence that Nicola Sturgeon misled parliament, something she denies.
But the committee did vote 6-3 in favour of referring the issue to the Parliament's corporate body, who will make a decision on whether the evidence can be published at a meeting later today.
The decision was criticised by SNP MP Angus MacNeill, a long-term ally of Salmond. "The Scottish Parliament Committee is a shambolic embarrassing disgrace," he tweeted last night. "What is going on?"
The Inquiry is examining the SNP Government’s mishandling of sexual misconduct complaints against Salmond when he was First Minister.
Salmond pursued the government in court in 2018 and it was agreed the internal probe had been unlawful.
He was separately acquitted of sexual offences after a trial last year.
His allies believe he was the victim of a plot and the fiasco ended the friendship between Nicola Sturgeon and Salmond.
However, the Inquiry has been in turmoil over Holyrood’s recent refusal to publish some of Salmond’s evidence.
In his submission, described by the Tories as “bombshell”, Salmond accused Sturgeon of misleading parliament and breaching the ministerial code of conduct in relation to meetings between the pair during the probe.
Holyrood lawyers advised against publishing the Salmond submission's on the code - even though it was widely reported in the media - over legal concerns.
Salmond has made clear he will not appear in front of MSPs until the decision on his submission is reversed. The Spectator magazine went to court recently in a bid to have a court order from Salmond’s criminal trial adjusted.
MSPs hoped the amended order would result in Holyrood publishing Salmond’s submission.
