NICOLA Sturgeon has said that the court's decision to clear Alex Salmond of all charges "must be respected."

While the First Minister said she would welcome "further discussion around the issue", it would have to be after the country has come through the coronavirus crisis. 

Sturgeon said: “The court has reached a verdict and that must be respected.

"I am a strong believer in a vigorous, robust, independent judicial process where complaints of this nature, if they come forward, are properly and thoroughly investigated, due process takes its course and a court reaches a decision, and that’s what has happened today.

“I have no doubt that there will be further discussion around this issue in due course, in the fullness of time – and I will welcome that. But that time is not now.

"This country faces a crisis right now bigger than anything we have faced before and as First Minister my duty to the public is to do everything I can to focus 100% on steering us through that crisis, and that is what I intend to do.”

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