Ian Blackford has claimed that Nicola Sturgeon did not breach the ministerial code as he refused to say if the First Minister should step down if he is proven wrong.

The SNP leader has been accused of misleading parliament over when she knew about allegations of harassment made against her predecessor, Alex Salmond.

During a six-hour evidence session before the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints looking into the handling of claims made against him, Salmond said that Ms Sturgeon broke the ministerial code.

He said: "I believe the first minister has broken the ministerial code… it's not the case that every minister who breaks the ministerial code resigns.

The First Minister referred herself for investigation to James Hamilton QC, an independent adviser on the ministerial code.

SNP Westminster leader Mr Blackford defended Nicola Sturgeon this morning on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 

He said: “She’s made it clear on a number of occasions that she does not believe she has broken the ministerial code.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: I didn't sweep Salmond claims under carpet and have no regrets

“I believe that to be the case as well, this will be put to bed, and we will be able to move on from it to make sure we are dealing with the Covid crisis in the right way, and we’re having that discussion about what Scotland’s future is.

“I and my party have full confidence in the First Minister leading us to that destination of Scotland becoming an independent country.”

He added: “Yesterday was supposed to be a seminal day in this inquiry where the former first minister was going to bring forward evidence of a conspiracy – by his own admission, there is no evidence of a conspiracy by the First Minister against him.

“I think we’ve had a number of false dawns in this whole spectacle and I do not believe under any circumstances, under any determination, that the First Minister has broken the ministerial code.”

Mr Blackford also refused to say whether Ms Sturgeon should resign if she is found to have broken the rules, describing the question as “hypothetical”.

“Mud has been thrown around by political opponents over the course of the last few months,” he said.

READ MORE: Alex Salmond criticises Nicola Sturgeon and says 'government acted illegally but somehow no-one is to blame'

“There is no evidence that has been brought forward that the First Minister has broken the ministerial code or indeed has engaged in any kind of conspiracy.”

When asked specifically about the accusation she misled parliament over when she knew about the allegations, Mr Blackford said there was “no recollection” of the meeting with Geoff Aberdein and she corrected the record when she remembered.

Ms Sturgeon told MSPs she first learned of the claims at a meeting in her home with Mr Salmond on April 2 2018, but it later emerged she had been told four days earlier by his former chief of staff Geoff Aberdein at a meeting in her office, which she claimed to have forgotten.

Mr Blackford added: “I think the public will look upon this and wonder what on earth is going on – we’re talking about a minor difference in dates for that first meeting.

“I think anybody that is in senior office… is holding multiple meetings on a daily basis, and to be able to remember in minute detail the exact date of a meeting…

“The fact is there has been no conspiracy, the First Minister has not sought to mislead anybody over this whole saga, and that will be demonstrated next week when the First Minister appears before the committee.”