SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called on the SNP Scottish government to stop fighting the information commissioner, stop wasting public money, and publish the Salmond files.

Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton ruled in November that the Scottish government had wrongly withheld files relating to the investigation into whether then-first minister Nicola Sturgeon had breached the ministerial code in dealings with her predecessor Alex Salmond while he faced allegations of harassment. 

Ministers were instructed to release the files by January 15, but on the eve of that deadline, the Scottish government said it would appeal, stating: “We consider that the commissioner erred in relation to the law on whether the information can be withheld because it risks breaching contempt of court orders.”

Starting “non-compliance” procedures on Friday, Mr Hamilton hit out at a “Scottish government practice of last-minute communication,” he argued, “reflects poorly on the ministers and disrespects the applicant and wider Scottish public.

“If the Scottish government fail to comply with my decision by 22 January 2026, I will not hesitate to refer the matter to the Court of Session,” he said.

“The court may investigate the matter and treat the failure to comply as contempt of court.”

The original freedom of information request dates back to March 2021, but since then, the files’ release has been the subject of ping-pong between the commissioner and Scottish government, with only a portion of the files being released in January 2024.

Condemning the Scottish government’s approach to transparency and the £73,024 — on top of the £630,773 spent on the Salmond inquiry itself — it has spent so far in fighting the commissioner, Mr Sarwar said: “Scots are sick of seeing their money wasted to protect SNP secrets.

“Once again, [First Minister] John Swinney has authorised taxpayers’ cash to be used to block the release of documents linked to the Salmond investigation despite repeated warnings from the Scottish information commissioner.

“This is not about one case: it is about a culture of secrecy and cover-up at the heart of SNP government. Time and again, SNP ministers ignore legal advice, lose in court, and then force taxpayers to pick up the bill.

“The obvious question is this: what are they so desperate to keep secret?

“It should stop fighting the information commissioner, stop wasting public money and publish the Salmond files.”