Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Nicola Sturgeon: Jeremy Heywood orders inquiry into leak of documents on SNP leader's conversation with French ambassador

The SNP leader has denied the account

Roisin O'Connor
Saturday 04 April 2015 16:02 EDT
Comments
Jeremy Heywood has initiated an inquiry into how a civil service account of a private meeting between Nicola Sturgeon and the French ambassador was obtained by The Telegraph.
Jeremy Heywood has initiated an inquiry into how a civil service account of a private meeting between Nicola Sturgeon and the French ambassador was obtained by The Telegraph. (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood has initiated an inquiry into how a civil service account of a private meeting between SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and the French ambassador was obtained by The Telegraph.

The newspaper published an account of what it says came from a leaked official British government memo, which includes details of a private meeting between the Scottish first minister and Sylvie Bermann, the French ambassador to the UK.

It claims that Ms Sturgeon said she did not believe Labour leader Ed Miliband was "PM material", which would contradict her vision of working informally with Labour as a progressive alliance to bring an end to austerity.

Ed Miliband said the claims were "damning" when the alleged details of the memo first emerged on 3 April, however Ms Sturgeon, along with a spokesman for Ms Bermann, has "categorically denied" the account.

"The bigger question and one I am raising with the head of the civil service is who wrote this memo since the foreign office seem to be denying all knowledge of it," she said.

She told the BBC: "It suggests a Whitehall system out of control - a place where political dirty tricks are manufactured and leaked."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in