The official report into a leaked memo claiming Nicola Sturgeon wanted David Cameron to win the general election clears the new Scottish Secretary of any involvement in the scandal.
Former First Minister Alex Salmond used his column in Monday’s Courier to suggest David Mundell could have seen the document before it was passed to The Daily Telegraph by the special adviser to previous Dover House incumbent, Alistair Carmichael.
That drew fury from the UK Government and a Conservative MSP has now said the ex-SNP leader has “gone rogue”.
The Cabinet Office report says besides Mr Carmichael and his bag carrier Euan Roddin: “No one else had any involvement in the leaking of the memo.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called the report “robust and thorough”.
Scottish Conservative North East Scotland MSP Alex Johnstone said: “Alex Salmond has once again gone rogue. The leak inquiry makes it clear that nobody else was involved.
“The First Minister accepts the findings in full. But Mr Salmond still wants to smear others. What rank hypocrisy from a man with a dubious relationship with the truth.
“We all remember his shenanigans over the non-existent EU legal advice.
“He now thinks those caught being economical with the truth should consider their position. He seems to have forgotten his less than honest election leaflet last month.
“Alex Salmond is an uncontrollable embarrassment to his boss.”
In an mailshot to voters, Mr Salmond said the SNP “led the way” by providing free personal care and bus passes for pensioners, both of which were introduced by Labour and the Lib Dems.
The official inquiry found Mr Carmichael agreed to the memo’s leak after being consulted by Mr Roddin.
In a letter to Ms Sturgeon, the Lib Dem said he took “full responsibility for the publication of the document”.
An SNP spokesman said: “It is perfectly legitimate to pose the question regarding what, if any, knowledge David Mundell had of the attempts to smear the First Minister and regardless of the circumstances, Mr Mundell needs to immediately distance himself from and apologise for the disgraceful dirty tricks campaign which was launched from his department.”