A mishandled inquiry into sexual harassment allegations against Alex Salmond has led to an extraordinary falling out north of the border within the SNP. One side claim that Nicola Sturgeon mounted a “civil war”, using taxpayers money and the full force of the Scottish Government, to denigrate Alex Salmond, her predecessor, mentor and long-time friend. The other side are appalled that two women who found the courage to speak up have been so badly let down by a procedural failure. Although the political inquiry has been deemed at fault, the case is still under investigation by the police.
It was never as easy a relationship as it appeared between Sturgeon and Salmond. He has a 10th house Moon Mars in Pisces while she’s a Cancer Sun conjunct Mars in Leo, so both are spirited, argumentative and emotional. His Pluto is conjunct her midheaven so she would feel controlled by him; and his Jupiter Uranus is conjunct her Sun Mars which is a sparky and combative cross over.
Their relationship chart has a friendly composite Sun Venus; but there is also a one-sided and irritable Mars square Saturn suggesting a relationship in which one partner is careless of the other’s needs; and a power-struggling Jupiter Pluto, which usually starts as a dynamic duo but after a time usually ends up in a fight for the upper hand. And a needs-space Moon opposition Uranus.
Tr Saturn will put a pall on good feelings between them through this coming year as it makes a separating square to the composite Sun Venus.
Sturgeon is finding 2019 discouraging and a dreary slog with tr Pluto trine her Saturn in Taurus and insecure with tr Uranus square her Mars over the late March exit date; plus a dashed-hopes tr Pluto conjunct her Mars/Neptune. She’ll be more confident in 2020/2021 but that influence will run alongside waning powers.
For Salmond see previous post August 24 2018
I think you will find Alex Salmond date of birth 31/12/1954 ?
I understand Alex Salmond was born when the sun was in Capricorn, not Pisces.
I know this is a serious business and we daren’t smile over such things nowadays as humour has been banished along with good manners…but one can’t help a smile over a Piscean called Salmond and a Cancer crab lady called Sturgeon. Some of these synchronicities in astrology and life in general shows someone, somewhere is having a good laugh at us mortals. So much of today’s fuss and bother could be solved differently in my day.
I understand Alex Salmond was born with his natal sun in Capricorn, not Pisces.
Hugh just to point out to you that Nicola Sturgeon didn’t get involved personally in this investigation at all.
This investigation was instigated by Westminster employed Civil Servants, two in particular, who are based in Scotland, that is Leslie Evans Permanent Secretary since 2015 (THE senior civil servant in Scotland leading around 5,000 civil servants working for the Scottish Government) and Judith McKinnon Head of People Advice (what irony) since 2017.
As per recent Court records, Judith McKinnon contacted two individuals (Civil Servants) in August 2017 and asked them if they would like to make a complaint against Alex Salmond. The incident / s in question (or not) dated back to 2013 and there is no prior record of them. The women in question agreed and formal complaints were made in January 2018.
In December 2017 Leslie Evans and Judith McKinnon (et al?) amended the ScotGov Harassment Policy to the effect that cases would be heard retrospectively and that this would include ex-employees (like Alex Salmond). Nicola Sturgeon was asked to sign off the document which she did in January 2018.
Judith McKinnon then took on the role of Investigating Officer in January 2018 which was a clear breach of the ScotGov policy where it states, ”It is the responsibility of fully trained internal investigators, with no previous knowledge of the complaint, to investigate the allegation and to come to a conclusion regarding the action to be taken.”
Alex Salmond was made aware of the complaints in March 2018. Alex Salmond passed on this information to Nicola Sturgeon in April 2018.
Alex Salmond’s legal team requested access to relevant documents throughout 2018 which were rejected until December 2018 when heavily redacted copies of 300 pages of evidence were passed on. Even with redaction it was clear that the Scottish government had acted unlawfully while investigating the case. The government lawyers contacted the Court of Session a week before the four day case had to be heard (next week) and admitted that it had breached its own guidelines by appointing an investigating officer who had “prior involvement” in the case.
Judge Lord Pentland subsequently said that the government’s actions had been “unlawful in respect that they were procedurally unfair” and had been “tainted with apparent bias”.
Interesting to note too that it has now emerged that three secret, behind-the-door court sessions were held over Christmas. – 19 / 21 / 28th December. Ms Evans gave her evidence on the 21st.
A year on and Alex Salmond still hasn’t been questioned by the police. He hasn’t had any contact with Nicola Sturgeon since July 2018, no doubt to quash Media ”attention.” They have been CLOSE friends for over 30 years and what looks like a Establishment ”stitch-up” by many, of both of them, won’t affect their relationship one iota.
Alex Salmond has now reported the Scottish government to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) which is looking into his concerns of details of the so-called allegations against him appearing in the media, such as the Daily Record.
August 2018: ”The Record has seen the wording of a detailed complaint by one of the two Scottish Government staff members who lodged complaints against the former first minister.”
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/alex-salmond-accused-touching-womans-13134675
I hope that clarifies the situation to some extent, Hugh.
Thanks.
I freely admit to being far from an expert on Scottish politics so I am working on what I see in the (obviously unreliable) Scottish media
My own view is that if Salmond had been a member of one the established major parties rather than the SNP he would have been British PM as in many ways he he is head and shoulders over most of his contemporaries
Marjorie, you seem to pick up a lot of people with Pisces strong in their charts. I always thought of Pisces as less worldly, certainly not politically inclined. it is often in the charts of show biz, actors, artists etc. so that explains that …but politics? have Pisceans always been as prevalent as they now seem to be? when you think how Bin Laden, Attila, and other such strong leaders were Pisces, it makes one wonder about this so called compassionate, unworldly sign. They can be detached, cold and cruel esp when other planets fall in Aquarius. The southern Piscis star of Formalhaut is supposed to receive the water poured from Aquarius. and the constellation Pisces has a big fish and a little fish which often gets ‘swallowed’ by the big one …. an experience I know well! Plus fishes are instinctual and cold blooded creatures. Pisces is an odd sign and I’m one of them
This is a very odd situation.
Salmond is in many ways the outstanding and most formidable UK politician of his generation taking the SNP from virtually nothing to running the devolved Scottish government with a chance of full independence. By the normal rules of politics he should be occupying the role of venerated elder statesman not involved in this grubby scandal.
Sturgeon was always going to struggle to match his achievements as governing in many ways harder and less rewarding than the struggle to get into power. Quite why she chose to get involved personally in the investigation into the allegations into Salmond is hard to understand. Clearly, she finds it hard to live in his shadow. Unfortunately, the very act of trying to diminish his stature is undermining the base of her own power.
The SNP may need a new leader untainted by these problems to get over this hump in the road.