Carmichael opposes election petition

Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael is opposing an election petition lodged with the Court of Session by members of his constituency.

The petition claims that his re-election in the Northern Isles contravened the Representation of the People Act 1983 because voters were unaware of his involvement in the pre-election leak of a memo – which alleged that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon would prefer UK Conservative leader David Cameron remain as Prime Minister – as he had denied any knowledge of it. This denial was later found to be untrue by a cabinet office investigation into the matter.

However, in a document released yesterday, Mr Carmichael claims there has been no breach of section 106 of the Act, as set out by the petition, and also that he “did not make a false statement of fact in relation to the personal character of conduct of a candidate, before or during an election, for the purpose of affecting the return of any candidate at the election.”

The crowd funding appeal, which is named The People Versus Carmichael, has also reached it’s final goal of raising £60,000, which the appeal’s organisers have previously stated will be used for legal fees.