The Scottish National Party (SNP) is reeling from a fresh scandal as police launch a new investigation connected to former First Minister Alex Salmond. It comes just over a year after Nicolaa Sturgeon was arrested in an ongoing invesitgation into the party’s finances.

The new investigation, dubbed Operation Broadcroft, centres on the handling of sexual misconduct allegations against Alex Salmond, the former First Minister and SNP leader.

This probe is particularly focused on whether a senior civil servant, James Hynd, provided false testimony under oath during an inquiry into the allegations against Salmond, a Court of Session hearing heard earlier this week.

Salmond, who was cleared of 14 sexual assault charges in 2020, is now seeking significant compensation from the Scottish

His legal team argues that various Scottish Government officials, including Nicola Sturgeon, acted in bad faith during a flawed internal investigation in 2018. They allege that these officials, inappropriately and with malicious intent, mishandled the investigation to harm Salmond.

Lawyer Gordon Dangerfield, representing Salmond, revealed details of the police inquiry in a recent Court of Session hearing. He stated that the investigation is currently focused on potential offences related to false statements made under oath, but it could expand to include other criminal activities.

“The evidence in the averments is very detailed and specific,” Dangerfield said, emphasising the seriousness of the allegations.

This situation has exacerbated the already tense relationship between Salmond and Sturgeon, with the former SNP leader previously accusing senior figures in the party of conspiring to imprison him.

Sturgeon has consistently denied any involvement in such a conspiracy, although she acknowledges the profound strain the situation has placed on their relationship, which she described as “very important to me, politically and personally, for most of my life”.

The legal and political fallout from these events has significant implications for the SNP, already reeling from a series of controversies, as well as a humiliating General Election defeat which saw the party lose the vast majority of its seats to Labour, and losing the title of third largest party in Westminster to the Liberal Democrats.

The outcome of Operation Broadcroft, along with the ongoing legal battles, could further destabilize the party at a time when it is grappling with internal divisions and public scrutiny.