Boris lashes out at snp inquiry as he says covid must be the priority

Mr Salmond is giving evidence today at a Holyrood inquiry into the Scottish Government's unlawful investigation of sexual harassment claims made against him. The former first minister

has accused members of the SNP of a "malicious and concerted" attempt to see him removed from public life. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will give her own evidence to the inquiry

next week. In a veiled swipe at the chaos unfolding north of the border, Boris Johnson's official spokesman warned all politicians should remain focused on tackling coronavirus. He

said: "The Prime Minister's focus and the focus of politicians across the UK should be on fighting the pandemic, working together to defeat Covid, and building back better."

Mr Salmond, who was acquitted of 13 charges of sexual assault in a criminal trial, was awarded a £512,250 payout after he successfully challenged the lawfulness of the Government

investigation. READ MORE: 'SCOTLAND'S LEADERSHIP FAILED': SALMOND BEGINS ATTACK ON STURGEON It was found the investigation was "tainted by apparent bias" after it

emerged the investigating officer had prior contact with two of the women who made complaints. The former SNP leader has accused Nicola Sturgeon of having broken the ministerial code in her

actions surrounding the investigation - a matter that if proven would be expected to lead to her resignation. The First Minister has insisted there is "not a shred of evidence"

that there was a conspiracy against Mr Salmond and she has denied lying to Parliament. The fallout from the sexual assault investigation and the inquiry has dominated headlines in Scotland

for weeks. Mr Salmond has claimed there had been a "complete breakdown of the necessary barriers which should exist between government, political party and indeed the prosecution

authorities", claiming the lines between the SNP, the Scottish Government and the Crown Office had become blurred. Giving evidence today he criticised Ms Sturgeon for the handling fo

the sexual assault allegations, saying: "Scotland hasn’t failed, its leadership has failed." DON'T MISS: SCOTTISH VOTERS 'DISMAYED' AT SNP INFIGHTING OVER ALEX

SALMOND INQUIRY [REACTION] SNP AT RISK OF 'SPLINTERING' BEFORE INDEPENDENCE AMID ALEX SALMOND ROW [INSIGHT] NICOLA STURGEON WARNED ALEX SALMOND INQUIRY COULD BE HER

'DOWNFALL' [VIDEO] In a damning blow to the SNP's hopes for independence, the former party leader indicated he did not believe Scotland had the "strong" institutions

necessary to split from the UK. The explosive row publicly unfolding comes as Scotland and the rest of the UK continues to grapple with coronavirus. Scotland has recorded 323 new Covid

deaths in the past week and a further 769 cases in the past 24 hours. Ms Sturgeon has faced criticism this week for using a daily coronavirus briefing to launch an "attack" on her

predecessor. Former deputy leader of the SNP, Jim Sillars, has written to the Scottish Government’s top civil servant to complain, accusing the First Minister of a "gross breach"

of her duty in the briefing. He wrote Ms Sturgeon has made "attacks on Mr Salmond in a forum that had been arranged by the Scottish Government to inform the public on a subject, the

pandemic, a matter of serious public concern, in which maximum publicity would be given to the words of the First Minister." He added: "It is a gross breach of her duty to use that

Government-sponsored forum, for a public attack on Mr Salmond in matters not related to the purpose of a briefing to which the media had been invited." Ms Sturgeon accused Mr Salmond

of living in an "alternative reality" during the coronavirus briefing.