‘Shame on her!’ Furious Ruth Davidson erupts at Nicola Sturgeon in brutal FMQs showdown
Ruth Davidson #RuthDavidson
Ruth Davidson shuts down Nicola Sturgeon during fiery FMQs
Scottish Conservative Leader Ruth Davidson snapped at First Minister leader Nicola Sturgeon as the pair discussed the code of conduct by the SNP leader during an investigation into a sexual assault by former First Minister Alex Salmond. While speaking in First Minister’s Questions (FMQs), Ms Davidson demanded a clear set of details regarding a meeting Ms Sturgeon held with Mr Salmond. She noted that Ms Sturgeon’s husband, Mr Peter Murrell, gave a different account of the events of this meeting.
Ms Davidson said: “On Tuesday, the chief executive of the SNP, Peter Murrell, gave evidence under oath, to the Parliamentary committee investigating the Scottish Government’s botched handling of harassment allegations against Alex Salmond.
“That evidence plainly contradicted the First Minister’s own version of events, so whose story does the First Minister find most believable, Peter Murrells or her own?”
Ms Sturgeon reiterated that she had already explained the reasons for her meeting with Mr Salmond in written evidence and she noted that she would answer further questions in person to the committee in a few weeks time.
She argued that her husband had no role in these meetings and accused Ms Davidson of using her husband as a weapon against her.
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Ms Davidson replied: “I am asking about this because a group of women who came forward were utterly let down by the First Minister’s Government and the fallout from that is still going on.
“If the First Minister doesn’t want to answer for the consequences of her Government’s action then shame on her.
“Like many members of this Parliament, I am in awe of the First Minister’s ability to believe that two opposing versions of events can somehow be explained away so easily.”
Ms Davidson then proceeded to announce what was said by Mr Murrell and what was said by Ms Sturgeon regarding her visit with Mr Salmond.
Ms Sturgeon insisted that she did care about this issue and has answered some of Ms Davidson’s questions in her written evidence.
She also added that she has not yet had the opportunity to answer questions from the committee but she is not only willing to do so, but she is also keen.
She said: “Ms Davidson is wrong in what she opened that question with, I do want to answer, I haven’t yet had the opportunity to sit before the committee and answer but I will get that opportunity in a few weeks.
“Not only am I obliged to do that but I am keen to do that.
“I have set out the answers to the questions Ruth Davidson has asked me in my written evidence and have set out what I thought might raise immediate implications for my party with my meeting with Alex Salmond and how that turned out not to be the case.”