Alex Salmond has accused officials in the Scottish government and the SNP of a “malicious and concerted effort” to damage his reputation – “even to the extent of having me imprisoned”.

Scotland’s former first minister alleges that Peter Murrell, the SNP chief executive and husband of Nicola Sturgeon, deployed senior figures to recruit and persuade staff members to submit police complaints against him.

Mr Murrell has previously denied conspiring against Mr Salmond. The SNP has called his latest claims “just more assertion without a shred of evidence”.

In his final submission to a Scottish parliamentary committee, Mr Salmond criticises Scotland’s Crown Office and states there has been a complete breakdown of the barriers between government, party and prosecuting authority.

He has made his final written submissions ahead of his Wednesday appearance as a witness before the Holyrood inquiry, which is looking into the Scottish government’s mishandling of harassment complaints against him.

Mr Salmond alleges that Ms Sturgeon, his successor as first minister and SNP party leader, breached the ministerial code several times – which can be a resignation matter.

He states that she misled the Scottish Parliament in giving an incorrect date for when she first found out about the complaints against him. Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly denied misleading parliament.

In his final submission to the Holyrood committee, Mr Salmond addresses the legal action, a judicial review, which he launched over the government’s investigation into the complaints against him.

He says the expensive case, which he won and which cost the taxpayer more than £600,000, was doomed to failure but that the hope at senior levels of government and the SNP was that police action against him would prevent it from ever coming to court.

Mr Salmond states: “The real cost to the Scottish people runs into many millions of pounds and yet no one in this entire process has uttered the simple words which are necessary on occasions to renew and refresh democratic institutions – ‘I resign’.

“The committee now has the opportunity to address that position.”

Separately, Mr Salmond was acquitted of 13 charges of sexual assault against nine women at a criminal trial last year.

In responding to his latest claims, an SNP spokesperson said: “This is just more assertion without a shred of credible evidence.

“Several of the women have already made clear how utterly absurd it is to suggest they were part of a conspiracy to bring him down. And yet Alex Salmond is still making these ridiculous and baseless claims and lashing out at all and sundry.

“People who supported him loyally for years and worked tirelessly to get him elected don’t deserve these smears. And women who made complaints about his behaviour – who barely merit a mention in his conspiracy dossier – most certainly deserve better.”

Related posts:

A look ahead to local elections Rapid, twice-weekly COVID tests to be offered to everyone in England – including home delivery Who’s getting jabbed among the over-50s? Here are the latest COVID vaccine stats Labour crisis: Five major problems facing Keir Starmer Drakeford says Labour has ‘exceeded expectations’ as party set to win Senedd Wales ‘on the final lap’ of emerging from COVID as nation will move to alert level zero Javid ‘confident’ that booster programme for COVID jabs will begin this month Revealed: Ministers bowed to pressure to drop key climate commitments for UK trade deal with Australia Education secretary ‘mixed up’ Rashford with black rugby player Itoje Minister says he’d be ‘surprised’ if there weren’t any drug users in Houses of Parliament PM: ‘Complete nonsense’ to say govt prioritised animals over people during Afghan evacuation Labour say PM’s position ‘completely untenable’ as he prepares for questions over lockdown party