[hibeejim21]

Not proven generally means they believed the victim but it couldn't be proven in court, otherwise they would have given a not guilty verdict.

Irrespective of the lack of criminal guilt for the charges presented, salmonds been shown to be an absolute creep who gropes women without permission. He admitted unsolicited grabbing of arses and kissing folk when they didn’t want to be, He's admitted he acted inappropriately.

I'm sorry but that isn't the behaviour worthy of someone who was leading Scotland at the time. That’s the context that should be recognised by anyone rushing to defend him, not his political allegiances.

[0762]

Jim I don't doubt the behavioural side of it was highly questionable! Indeed, I briefly debated it with my wife at the time (getting a female perspective on the issue), and came to the same conclusion that Ecky appeared to be a "bit of a lad" who wasn't challenged because of his powerful position as Scot FM. But this issue actually "landing in a law court" and open to public scrutiny??? What a failure that was!!! Lastly, I'd love to reverse the roles and force the same endurance on many of the critics of Ecky so that they could experience, first hand, that same element of non-anonymity and subsequent public scrutiny, esp if you were personally innocent and did absolutely nothing - imagine it (you would be seething!!!) and the current system that is practised in this country eh!! While we are at it, give the likes of Cliff Richard a phone call and ask him how he felt in being exposed in such a way and being totally innocent of any criminal charges!! Lastly, I think Alex Salmond's forthcoming book publication will be extremely interesting and it will be curious to read if he "gives his side of the story" re some of the insinuations and his behaviour that has been deemed as unacceptable "in the court of public opinion". He consistently used the words "gross exaggeration". Maybe he'll elaborate on that in the book. However, I suspect this book will cover much more than this court case and I reckon a lotta people, incl some reputable people in Scotland, could well be "diving for cover" well before it is eventually published. Perhaps there is a "bigger story" gonna unfold later on this year.

[St Charles Owl]

Wow 0762, I stopped reading after you dismissed his behaviour as being that of "a bit of a lad"!!! That is the type of phrase I am sick of hearing for the last 4 years when Trump supporters justify his various sexual transgressions and its the same crap spouted by the supporters of Kavenaugh when he was appointed to the Supreme Court when accused by a very reputable woman!!!

I have no idea of his guilt or not but from what I have seen his behaviour was certainly not appropriate and as he was a person in a strong position of power just compounds that!!

[0762]

Read the thread again Saint Charles Owl! I did say his behaviour was highly questionable and that is a fact! The "bit of a lad bit" was a figure of speech that was possibly the wrong line to use but it doesn't dismiss the questionable nature of someone like Ecky in such a reputable position. My wife certainly didn't dismiss it as much as I didn't either!!! You say you have no idea of his guilt or not???? Well, as said in a previous thread and I'll repeat it - HE WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY IN A SCOTTISH HIGH COURT OF ALL ACCUSATIONS!!! Therefore no crime was committed! So everyone (non-jury members btw), incl myself, can surmise what insinuations, esp the extreme ones, were actually true, which ones were blatant lies and which ones were blatant exaggerations and come to one's own opinion!! Of course there is a moral indignation attached to the behavioural side of this case BUT THE TRIAL IS OVER!!! Time to move on until such time when Ecky's book publication could possibly be a real eyeopener and some of his undisclosed evidence could be very revealing!!

[hibeejim21]

He's a touchy/feely,sleazy, auld, boozy throwback who's behaviour has been absolutely disgusting. He needs to go now and stay away from public life where he is more a hindrance to the cause of independence than anything now.

[ritchiebaby]

He's also arrogant with an extremely high opinion of his own importance and will not go away. Tricky times ahead for his ex-colleagues.

[0762]

Ecky's arrogance goes back a long, long time Ritchie, long before he even became the Scot FM and it is one of the reasons why I was never a great fan TBF. It is part of his persona that goes as far back as the early 1990s.

[hibeejim21]

Sturgeon is a far better politician, look at things now - she is very much the 'grown up in the room' compared to the likes of Boris and Gove.

[Amelia Chaffinch]

Nicola Sturgeon always comes across as straight as a die which is rare in politics. As we know, politicians generally have a bullshit chip ... probably because they have to impress so many different people to get selected and elected. I fully realise that I could end up being wrong as there may be skeletons in the closet ... I really don't think so, though. She looks human and real. I wish I didn't like her because she wants to get rid of us ... although I do understand your wish to be independent. I think if you want to get that, you have to stick with her or someone like her. Salmond failed before and he can only damage your cause now because he would split Scotland. Plus I don't want to look at him! 

[0762]

I doubt the "inner circle" of the SNP would ever allow Salmond to get anywhere near a position of power anyway even though there have been calls from certain senior members that he should be returned to the SNP and possibly even be added to the candidates' list for next year's Scottish election that they are currently forecast to win a massive 70+ seats.
I've said before that Nicola Sturgeon is the "Angela Merkel" of Scotland and she has proved her high standing and true mettle time and time again. I still regard her as having that "girl next door" image that has an element of genuine sincerity attached to it. That view has never changed up to now. I've met her a couple of times and IMO she is exactly as described. I've got a great photo of a "selfie" showing her and my grand daughter at a social function in Leith. I reckon a lotta people in Scotland don't appreciate how many grassroots indy social functions she actually attends. IMO she'll be greatly missed when she eventually "steps down" as the Scottish FM. Hopefully Scottish independence will have happened before her departure.