Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon rift explored at Biteback

Biteback Publishing has acquired Break-Up: How Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon Went to War, an "explosive" book on the rift at the top of Scottish politics by journalists David Clegg and Kieran Andrews.

Break-Up will tell the inside story of how a political alliance between previous SNP leader Alex Salmond and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was ripped apart amid claims of sexual assault made against Salmond in 2018. It is described by the publisher as a "jaw-dropping tale of outlandish and inappropriate behaviour in the highest reaches of power, of lies, distrust and alleged conspiracy, with profound implications not only for Salmond and Sturgeon themselves but for Scotland’s governing party and the wider independence movement." 

At its heart, it will also be a story about how women who voiced concerns about the behaviour of Salmond were used as political pawns and what that means for the #MeToo movement, said the publisher.

Olivia Beattie, editorial director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Martin Redfern at Northbank Talent Management. Publication is slated from August 2021. 

Beattie said: "With their unrivalled access to both camps and rigorously fair-minded reporting, David and Kieran are uniquely qualified to uncover the truth about this extraordinary episode – but they’re also acutely aware that this is a story with deeper resonances about how we as a society deal with inappropriate behaviour by powerful men. This won’t make comfortable reading for any of the key players in Scottish politics, but it’s an intensely important book, and Biteback is delighted to be publishing it."

Clegg, editor of the Courier, is the journalist who broke the story of sexual abuse claims against Salmond. Andrews is Scottish political editor of the Times and was the "go-to journalist" following the twists and truns of the Salmond enquires. The duo commented: "This is the most dramatic political story on either side of the border in years. It is even more intriguing than people realise, and Break-Up will contain new perspectives and revelations. Many people are confused by the sequence of events, and a book gives us the opportunity to go behind the headlines to explain what really happened. This is not just about the future of Scotland but the entire United Kingdom."