Alex Salmond 'misled public' over EU status claim The disclosures increased the pressure on Mr Salmond, who appeared to tell the BBC earlier this year that he had specific legal advice supporting his case about a separate Scotland's EU status. But Nicola Sturgeon disclosed earlier this week that no such specific advice had been commissioned, and the Scottish Government had gone to court to prevent disclosure of the fact it did not exist. The First Minister has since claimed that he was only referring to law officers casting their eyes over the three documents. Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour's deputy leader, said yesterday: "It now appears that when Alex Salmond is given advice by his legal team on Scotland's future in the EU, he chooses to ignore it and asserts the opposite. When his dishonesty is caught out and has to be brought to account, he decides what he is charged with and who his judge will be. John Lamont, Scottish Conservative Chief Whip, said: "With every passing day, Alex Salmond's defence crumbles even more as further revelations emerge on what legal advice was given, when and to whom. It is clear this inquiry has been rigged from the start and its remit will not be wide enough to examine fully the First Minister's conduct. A Sunday newspaper reported details of the caveats insisted upon by the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General in the three documents. They refer to a separate Scotland continuing membership of the EU but do not make clear whether this will be automatic. The 2007 National Conversation document states specifically that negotiations would be required. Mr Salmond has claimed these talks would be on relatively minor details such as the number of seats Scotland would have in the European Parliament, but they could as easily be about whether a separate Scotland would be granted an opt-out from the euro. The First Minister last week set up an inquiry investigating whether he broke the ministerial code of conduct but this does not govern statements made on television. Lord Fraser said yesterday he agreed that the allegations about Mr Salmond's conduct fall beyond the code, concluding that the claims about abuse of power "seem to me to go wider than that." He said he was stood down by Sir Peter Housden, Mr Salmond's most senior mandarin, who has repeatedly faced accusations of politicising the civil service. Sir David Bell, one of Sir Peter's former colleagues, has been appointed by the First Minister to lead the inquiry. A Scottish Government spokesman denied law officers have indicated an independent Scotland would not have automatic EU membership, continuing to insist that it would despite Spain's intervention last week. He said "Ministers have always been clear - including in the government's published documents - that there would be negotiation but that negotiations would happen from within the EU." He added it would be inappropriate for any former law officer to investigate Mr Salmond's conduct given the subject matter of the inquiry. With every passing day, Alex Salmond's defence crumbles even more as further revelations emerge.