Open letter to Alex Salmond, think its time to change your ‘Lawyer’ Nicola Sturgeon, her last high profile ‘client’ in spotlight, got put in prison!

Dear All

My last post was a Newsnight Scotland ad, Nicola Sturgeon VS Johann Lamont; the fight was about Alex Salmond’s relationship to Rupert Murdoch.

You would have thought with Nicola Sturgeon saying she was setting the record straight that she would be able to put Johann Lamont away in the first round.

In the end, Johann Lamont lacked skill, delivery and that killer punch.

Nicola Sturgeon also was devoid of the killer punch to put Lamont away, instead she stayed on the outside just flicking the political jab and trying to turn the interview into a mini election advert for the SNP standing up for Glasgow.

Not the right tactic by the SNP deputy leader.

As the vote draws near on Thursday, opposition parties are keeping the pressure on Alex Salmond over his ties with Rupert Murdoch.

By being unable to kill off Lamont when she had the chance, Nicola Sturgeon has allowed opposition to rumble on questioning Alex Salmond’s version of events and creating doubt.

Having survived the bout Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont has challenged Alex Salmond to produce documentary evidence that his conversations with Murdoch were about jobs in Scotland and not about seeking support for the SNP.

And she wants to see the paper trail of the detail of meetings with Ministers and external agencies that could prove he was genuinely concerned about securing jobs and not the backing of the Murdoch-owned press.

And she can harp on about Alex Salmond’s integrity right up to Thursday polling day.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has denied there was any link between the discussions over the bid and the Scottish Sun supporting the SNP.

Sturgeon says no deal exists to back the bid in return for editorial support.

She said:

"I am emphatically and unequivocally saying there is no connection between these two things."

Until polling day, opponents will be running with this story to the hilt, the SNP has produced a lacklustre campaign and very much rely on the ‘Salmond bounce’, that bounce may not be quite so high if working class people believe he is the pocket of the rich.

So, what do the opposition want?

Alex Salmond to release details of discussions with his Enterprise Minister, Scottish Enterprise and details of any Cabinet discussions on the issue.

Details if Scottish Enterprise was asked to look at what assistance it could offer News Corporation to base further jobs in Scotland.

Labour leader, Ed Miliband said on the issue:

"I think the revelations are shocking. The First Minister has questions to answer. If it is about a campaign to bring jobs to Glasgow why wasn't he open about it. What he actually did was act as an undercover lobbyist for Rupert Murdoch."

Responding to Mr Miliband's comments, Ms Sturgeon said:

"This is rank hypocrisy from Ed Miliband, given his own attempts to curry favour with News International. It is a desperate bid by Labour to divert attention from Johann Lamont's blunder at First Minister's Questions, where she appeared to be completely clueless about a major recent jobs announcement in Glasgow."

You know something; I am glad that Nicola Sturgeon isn’t my lawyer!

She failed to provide any evidence the BSkyB takeover would have resulted in more Scottish jobs, the First Minister’s justification for his willingness to back the takeover.

And the last time she defended someone who came under a very heated spotlight, he got prison!

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University