THE Scottish government lost its latest battle yesterday to keep details of its investigation into Nicola Sturgeon under wraps.
The case centred on a 2022 probe into the conduct of the then first minister during the investigation and later trial of her predecessor Alex Salmond.
The probe concluded Ms Sturgeon had broken no rules, but a freedom of information request for the written evidence to the investigation was refused by the Scottish government.
The Scottish Information Commissioner later ruled that the information must be released, but the Scottish government appealed to the Court of Session — the latest in series of disputes between them.
In a relatively swift hearing, Lord Pentland, Lord Boyd, and Lord Carloway the Lord President backed the commissioner’s call for the data to be made public.
Scottish Labour’s Jackie Baillie said: “It is right that this pathetic attempt to pass the buck on the Scottish government’s complicity in the misconduct of Nicola Sturgeon has been thrown out of court.
“No government that is supposedly committed to transparency should be using taxpayers’ money fighting against the Information Commissioner and the Court of Session to protect its reputation.”
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “We are committed to openness and transparency and recognise that scrutiny is essential for effective governance. We note the decision in this case and will respond fully in due course.”
