‘Orkney four’ write open letter to Lib Dem leader

Members of the ‘Orkney Four,’ the petitioners in the recent case against Alistair Carmichael MP for Orkney and Shetland, have written an open letter to Leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron today, urging him to dismiss Mr. Carmichael as party spokesperson and to have him removed as whip.

Following a legal challenge to Mr Carmichael’s election as Northern Isles MP, it was ruled that he had not been found to have committed an illegal practice when it was revealed that he was responsible for a leaked memo to the press which claimed that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told a French Diplomat that she wanted David Cameron to remain in power.

However, the memo was subsequently found to be inaccurate.

Tim Morrison, lead petitioner, said: “As Mr. Carmichael is refusing to resign despite being found to have misled his constituents,  we expect the leader of the Liberal Democrats to do what other party leaders have done in similar circumstances and disassociate himself from tactics, which although found to be within the law, were, according to the Court, at best disingenuous and at worst evasive and self-serving. If this does not happen his party will become a byword for dishonesty.”

The full letter can be found here.