Nicola Sturgeon set out a story of good intentions and catastrophic consequences - what now?

A former Labour first minister of Scotland, Henry McLeish, has criticised the Scottish Government for a failure of responsibility over its unlawful handling of sexual harassment complaints against Alex Salmond, and branded it “bizarre” there had been no resignations. [View email online]( [Subscribe]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [The Scotsman] Mar 4, 2021 [Sam Shedden] Sam Shedden Engagement Editor Good morning, There was a lot to take in yesterday. On Wednesday Nicola Sturgeon gave her evidence to the Scottish Parliament committee on the handling of harassment complaints against Alex Salmond in an exhaustive meeting. Today we'll take you through the key points and what to expect next. Our readers are our lifeblood. Like many businesses, we have been hit by the economic crunch of the pandemic. If you like and value what we do, please consider taking out a [digital subscription]( with us. Subscribers get unlimited access to thousands of Scottish stories a week, award-winning writers, agenda-setting opinion, sport, arts, features and much more. [Try us out today from just £3 a month. We're currently offering 25% off all annual subscriptions.]( [Alex Salmond inquiry: Former first minister McLeish says it's 'bizarre' no-one has resigned]( A former Labour first minister of Scotland, Henry McLeish, has criticised the Scottish Government for a failure of responsibility over its unlawful handling of sexual harassment complaints against Alex Salmond, and branded it “bizarre” there had been no resignations. [{$escapedtitle}]( Nicola Sturgeon apologises and recalls 'the moment I'll never forget' [Nicola Sturgeon apologised to the two women]( who first raised complaints of sexual misconduct against Alex Salmond, and to Scottish taxpayers, for the loss of the judicial review, which saw the former first minister awarded more than £500,000 and the Scottish Government’s investigation condemned as “tainted by bias”. There is a lot to digest from yesterday's proceedings so here are some of the highlights from our politics team. - [Analysis: Nicola Sturgeon sets out a story of good intentions and catastrophic consequences]( - [Alex Salmond Inquiry RECAP - key moments]( - [Nicola Sturgeon and Jackie Baillie clash over legal advice]( Check in at our homepage this afternoon as the [FM's coronavirus update]( is likely to feature more suggestions she should consider resigning. France v Scotland: New date agreed by French federation The French Rugby Federation (FFR) and the National Rugby League (LNR) have reached an agreement on a new date for the postponed Guinness Six Nations match against Scotland. France’s two rugby bodies want the match to be played at the end of the month. It’s now up to the Scottish Rugby Union to decide if that suits them. [Read the full story here]( Budget 2021: Rishi Sunak raises tax on businesses to ‘repair economy’ Rishi Sunak has set out plans to increase corporation tax as he began the process of repairing the nation's finances following the coronavirus crisis – but also announced tax cuts for companies which invest. The Chancellor used his Budget to set out a £65 billion spending package this year and next year to support the economy as it recovers from the pandemic. [Watch our Westminster correspondent Alexander Brown break down the key points here.]( Woman's body may have lain undiscovered in Scottish house for years The body of a woman – who was discovered after she failed to show up for a coronavirus vaccination appointment – may been undiscovered for years, it has been reported. Officers are understood to be treating the death as unexplained, with a report being sent to the procurator fiscal. It is understood that the timeline of the death is once aspect of the police investigation. [Read the full story here]( Thanks for reading, more headlines below. Sam Shedden, sam.shedden@jpimedia.co.uk [Article Image]( [Readers' Letters: Scottish Tories too quick to condemn Sturgeon]( It is despicable that the Scottish Tories, alone, have asked for the resignation of Scotland's First Minister without the courtesy of hearing her give evidence to the Holyrood Committee. However this is not surprising, being in line with the Conservative Party being the only UK Unionist party to have been against devolution; it continues to despise and denigrate its existence. [Article Image]( [Real estate market uncertainty highlights crucial importance of industry education]( A deep understanding of market forces and modelling of financial cash flows can provide the edge to investors, developers and real estate practitioners. Promoted by GetSmarter [Article Image]( ['Old SNP' bit their tongues as 'New SNP' played down their dreams but they have finally had enough – Kenny MacAskill MP]( There’s turbulence in the air for independence but that support has stayed so robust should be a warning to unionists. 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