Leading SNP MP Joanna Cherry has called for an internal probe into how the party dealt with the allegations against Alex Salmond after the former First Minister was cleared of of all charges against him at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The 65-year-old was found not guilty by a jury of 12 charges including attempted rape, sexual assault and indecent assault. A charge of sexual assault with intent to rape was found not proven.
Salmond, who led the Scottish government for seven years until 2014, had always denied any wrongdoing.
Speaking outside court he thanked those who had supported him throughout his court ordeal and added: "Whatever nightmare I've been in over these last two years is as of nothing compared to the nightmare that every single one of us is currently living through.
"People are dying, many more are going to die.
"My strong advice to you is to go home and those who are able take care of your families and God help us all."
In 2018, the former SNP leader took legal action against the Scottish Government, now led by his successor Nicola Sturgeon, over how it handled a complaints process against him in a sexual harassment case.
He won a judicial review in January last year over how that case was handled by the Scottish government when it conceded it had acted unlawfully in probing the harassment claims.
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In a ruling, Judge Lord Pentland declared that the Scottish Government’s actions were “unlawful in respect that they were procedurally unfair and that they were tainted with apparent bias”.
The dispute also exposed tensions between two factions in the SNP. After winning his initial case against the Scottish Government in January last year, Salmond claimed a shadowy plot to remove him as a “political threat” was behind the allegations against him.
And Cherry is now demanding that Salmond be welcomed back into the party and that an independent probe be held into how the SNP handled the initial claims made against him.
In a statement she said: "I am very pleased that Alex Salmond has been acquitted of these charges.
"Those of us who know him, and indeed many of the thousands of people who have met him over the years, did not recognise the man described in the evidence led for the Crown.
"The press reporting of such cases must always be done carefully but I am pleased that having heard all the evidence the jury has found him to be innocent of the charges laid.
"This verdict of acquittal is the culmination of two very lengthy investigations by the Scottish Government and Police Scotland and two court cases.
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"In both cases, Mr Salmond has been vindicated and serious questions now arise about the background to these cases especially given the considerable sums of public money which have been expended.
"As a feminist, lawyer and former specialist Sex Crimes Prosecutor I fully support the right of all women who make a complaint of a sexual crime to have their complaint properly investigated.
"However, I also support due process and the principle of innocent until proven guilty.
"Some of the evidence that has come to light both in the judicial review and at this trial raise very serious questions over the process that was employed within the Scottish Government to investigate the alleged complaints against Mr Salmond and I am sorry to say some of the evidence also raises serious question marks over how these complaints were handled by the SNP.
"We are presently in a time of great national crisis and dealing with the pandemic must take precedence. However, in due course, the inquiries before the Scottish Parliament must be allowed to complete their work.
"There should also be an independent inquiry into how the SNP dealt with these allegations and an inquiry into our internal complaints procedure with which many members have expressed significant dissatisfaction.
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"I am sure the complaints manager and Chief Executive would welcome the opportunity of an independent review to assist them in developing a proper system for the management of complaints and the support of party volunteers, staff and elected members.
"In the meantime, it goes without saying that Mr Salmond must be allowed to re-join the party without delay, if that is what he wishes to do, and that his place in the party’s history must be restored to the prominence it deserves."
Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw also said the SNP and Svottish Government have questions to answer.
He said: "As we all know, Scotland is dealing with a much more severe challenge today than this high-profile court case.
"That said, there are now some very serious questions facing the SNP, the Scottish Government and Nicola Sturgeon.
"The court case may be over, but for them this is just the beginning.
"Clearly, there is still a lack of information which needs to be fully interrogated, and the Scottish Parliament inquiry will provide that opportunity.
"This remains a national political scandal with profound questions of integrity for the First Minister and her SNP government.
"However, that opportunity must be deferred for the time being while all our efforts and resources concentrate on Covid-19."