Alex Salmond reaches crowdfunding target hours after quitting SNP over sexual misconduct allegations

Scottish Labour says former first minister's crowdfunding effort is dragging the country 'into the gutter'

Hours after Alex Salmond resigned from the Scottish National Party in order to fight allegations of sexual harassment, a crowdfunding campaign to pay for legal action against the Scottish government to contest the complaints procedure has surpassed its £50,000 target.

Mr Salmond has appealed to supporters to help pay for the “huge” cost of a judicial review into how the government handled the accusations against him.

Within hours of his resignation, donations in support of the legal action had reached £60,000, with more money flowing in and 27 days of fundraising left to run.

Two complaints by women were raised in January this year against the former Scottish first minister. They allege he sexually harassed them in December 2013, and Mr Salmond was informed of an investigation in March.

The former first minister of Scotland has fiercely denied the allegations, last week saying he has “made many mistakes in my life, political and personal, but I have not sexually harassed anyone and I have certainly not been engaged in criminality”.

On the crowdfunding page he said: “The Scottish Government have confirmed that they did not have any such complaint before this January, more than three years after I left office as First Minister. That is the record of 30 years of public service. So let me be clear again. I refute these two complaints of harassment and I absolutely reject any suggestion of criminality.”

He added: “I am enormously grateful for the messages of support and encouragement I have received, including from people of other political persuasions. I can assure them all that I will keep on going.

“The costs of a Judicial Review in the highest court in the land are huge. Many have asked how they can help directly. Therefore I have established a crowd funder to assist with costs. All sums received will contribute exclusively to progressing the Judicial Review and any money left over will be used to support good causes in Scotland and beyond.”

But the move has seen a backlash from Mr Salmond’s political opponents.

Rhoda Grant, the women's spokesperson for Scottish Labour, said it was “unbelievable” that Mr Salmond was crowdfunding for support, and accused him of “dragging Scotland into the gutter”.

She said: “That an independently wealthy man with his celebrity and political power is to raise legal fees through a crowdfunder for a case ultimately linked to sexual harassment is unbelievable.

“It suggests that he is sending a signal to those who have made allegations that he has the upper hand.

“Decent people will rightly be furious that he is to raise money to take the Scottish Government to court. Alex Salmond is abusing his power, and dragging Scotland into the gutter.”

Scottish Labour MSP for Dumbarton Jackie Baillie described the crowdfunding effort as a “disgrace”.

On Twitter she said: “Alex Salmond crowdfunding his court challenge of the SNP Government is a disgrace. Saying it’s about independence is rubbish. This is simply about distracting attention from the allegations of sexual harassment. It is an abuse of power and our politics should be better than this.”