Nicola Sturgeon has come under pressure from opposition leaders over meeting with Alex Salmond while he was under investigation for alleged sexual harassment.

Opposition leaders called for a parliamentary inquiry and suggested she has breached the ministerial code by meeting Mr Salmond.

Mr Salmond won his legal challenge against the Scottish Government that the investigation into complaints made against him by two women was unfair.

A judge rule it “unlawful” because the investigating officer had prior contact with the two women in breach of the policy.

Now Ms Sturgeon’s role is being scrutinised by The Conservatives and Labour.

The First Minister maintains she had no role in the investigation and never sought to intervene at any time.

She said the meetings with Mr Salmond where not government meetings despite her chief of staff Liz Lloyd, being present at one.

She said she has responsibilities as SNP leader and her chief of staff advises her in that capacity too.

Ms Sturgeon confirmed she met Alex Salmond on April 2, 2018 and two other subsequent meetings and phone calls.

She said “Of course my chief of staff is a special adviser who also has the ability to assist me in party matters. At the other meetings no-one else was present.”

Jackson Carlaw, conservative interim Leader said it didn’t “stack up”.

He said: “Her position appears to be a meeting between the First Minister of the Government and the former first minister of the government, about a Government investigation involving two Government employees, was not Government business. Really, how?”

He added: “A Scottish Government special adviser, who is an employee of the Government, was present at the meetings, which we were told were not Government meetings.

“This whole sorry business simply doesn’t stack up.”

Labour leader Richard Leonard said Ms Sturgeon was guilty of a “grave error of judgement” in meeting her predecessor.

He said: “After the events of this week, people need to have trust and confidence in the system, and that’s why the First Minister herself should back a full parliamentary inquiry.

“It’s why she should refer herself today to the panel of independent advisers on the Scottish ministerial code.”