Case was ‘politically-motivated’, says Carmichael
The failed case against Alistair Carmichael’s election was politically motivated and representative of an “unhealthy” political situation, the MP has said.
Reacting to the judgement that dismissed the challenge against him Mr Carmichael said he was pleased with the decision and vowed to go on representing Orkney and Shetland “to the best of my ability”.
Mr Carmichael said: “Although I was always confident of winning, the last few months have been a difficult and stressful time for me and my family.
“We have been enormously grateful for the tremendous levels of support received from local people, in both Orkney and Shetland, regardless of which political party they normally support.
“This support has sustained us and we are very thankful for it.”
He added that the case was “politically motivated”.
“It was a deliberate attempt by nationalists to remove the last Scottish Liberal voice at Westminster, and is a mark of the unhealthy polarisation of Scottish politics since the referendum.
“I shall continue to represent Orkney and Shetland as a Member of Parliament to the best of my ability, as I have done for the past 14 years.
“These are very special communities, and it is where my wife and I have made our home and where we are bringing up our family. The interests of the Northern Isles have always been, and always will be my first priority. It remains an honour and a privilege to be their Member of Parliament.”
It was a deliberate attempt by nationalists to remove the last Scottish Liberal voice at Westminster, and is a mark of the unhealthy polarisation of Scottish politics since the referendum. ALISTAIR CARMICHAEL
Mr Carmichael also had praise for his legal team, which he said had been “professional and caring throughout”.
The Liberal Democrats’ Scottish Leader, Willie Rennie, said the Northern Isles would now be Mr Carmichael’s top priority.
“The Scottish judicial system has vindicated Alistair’s election as MP for Orkney and Shetland. In the face of this politically motivated and often ugly legal campaign it has been a difficult time for Alistair, his family and his friends. But it is now over.
“His top priority now, as it always has been, is doing what he does best; standing up for the people of Orkney and Shetland and being a strong Scottish liberal voice in Parliament.”
National leader Tim Farron echoed those sentiments and said, “despite the distraction of the case, Alistair has continued to be an incredibly strong voice for Orkney and Shetland.”
Danus Skene
The Court established that Alistair Carmichael lied, and that he lied in order to affect an election.
He complains that the attempt to hold him to account for this represents an “unhealthy political situation”. The unhealthy political situation is the one that the Orkney petitioners attempted to address — that Mr Carmichael, as candidate, sought to corrupt the electoral process. Attempts by Carmichael and his associates to smear the petitioners are sickening.
It is noted that LibDem politicians continue to see the petition to annul Carmichael’s election as “politically motivated”. It is political in that it is an attempt to hold a lying politician to account. But what the LibDems mean is that it is party political. This it is not. The Orcadian petitioners are four private citizens of differing political persuasions, and their initiative has no links to the SNP or, so far as I am aware, any other organisation.
It is also noted that the LibDems have installed this discredited figure as their UK-level Home Affairs spokesman. He has destroyed anything that was left after the Coalition of his party’s reputation for integrity. They are compounding that destruction by defending him.
Erik Smith
It wasn’t politically motivated, it was morally motivated. It is morally wrong for an elected representative to lie to their electorate.
Ali Inkster
So you will be starting a crowdfunding campaign to take the liers in the snp camp to court for their many and varied lies to the public? You get it Started Eric and I’ll bung in a few quid. 🙂
David Spence
Tell this to the Tories then, Erik. lol
They are Masters at saying one thing and doing the complete opposite.
‘ The NHS will be safe in our hands ‘ when it reality ‘ The NHS will be safe in ‘ private hands, and our hands as shareholders to the private companies taking over the NHS ‘ ‘.
Stuart Hannay
The BBC website says that “Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael has told a court he thought it was “politically beneficial” to leak a memo about Nicola Sturgeon during the general election campaign”.
I think this is the reason why so many people are fed up with many politicians (of all hues). It’s the distortion of the language. Carmichael is saying that his own motives to keep himself in power were “politically beneficial” whilst those trying to bring him to account were “politically motivated.”
Bizarre.