AN SNP MP has said he will not give up on attempts to find out the truth about the so-called Frenchgate memo. Peter Grant wants to know who was aware of the contents of the document before it was leaked by former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael.

Speaking in the Commons yesterday, Grant asked Europe Minister David Lidington: “The Frenchgate memo included an inaccurate account of a private conversation between the French Ambassador and the First Minister of Scotland.

“Which members of staff or ministers in the Foreign Office were aware of the contents of that memo before it was deliberately leaked?”

Lidington replied: “I have a recollection of having seen a report of that. I don’t know the actual text. What I remember thinking was that a lot seemed to get lost in translation.

“I didn’t give any credence to it.” Grant, the MP for Glenrothes, told The National: “Nicola Sturgeon speaks English – how could anything be lost in translation?”

It is now more than three months since the memo was leaked to The Daily Telegraph, claiming that Sturgeon wanted the Tories to win the General Election, which was later proved to be untrue.

Carmichael later admitted being responsible for the leak and lying about it.

Grant said: “We’ve seen at least four attempts to use the UK Freedom of Information Act to get the full story of this sordid episode. Every one of them has been blocked.

“We know the former Secretary of State was involved and is now facing at least two investigations as a result. Was he the only politician involved, or are they protecting someone else?

“These are important questions and I’m determined that they will be answered fully and truthfully, however long it takes. I will be submitting a further series of questions later this week. I have also entered the ballot to hold a Westminster Hall debate on the subject to force the Secretary of State to explain himself to MPs before the parliamentary recess starts next week.”

A Scotland Office spokesman said: “The findings of the Cabinet Office inquiry made clear only the former Scottish Secretary and his special adviser had any involvement in the leaking of the memo.”

A specially-convened Election Court will sit in Edinburgh in September to hear a petition to overturn Carmichael’s election result in Orkney and Shetland.

The petitioners believe Carmichael’s re-election contravened the Representation of the People Act 1983.

Carmichael is also facing a separate investigation by Kathryn Hudson, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, into allegations that he breached the Commons Code of Conduct.

Her office said yesterday that the inquiry was still ongoing.