14:46

MSP Linda Fabiani has been appointed chair of Holyrood’s inquiry into the Scottish government’s handling of sexual harassment complaints. Photograph: Ken Jack/Getty Images

Linda Fabiani, a former Scottish National party minister, has been appointed to chair the special Holyrood inquiry into the Scottish government’s botched handling of its investigation into sexual harassment complaints against Alex Salmond.

At its inaugural meeting on Wednesday Labour and Tory members lodged formal objections to an SNP MSP chairing the committee, set up to investigate the actions of civil servants, the first minister Nicola Sturgeon and her special advisers before it emerged the inquiry was legally flawed.

Salmond denies the allegations and mounted legal action against the government, which admitted in court last month the senior civil servant who led the internal inquiry into allegations against by two women had had prior contact with both complainants. The Scottish government agreed that gave the inquiry the appearance of bias.

Sturgeon has since admitted she discussed the case five times with Salmond while her chief of staff, Liz Lloyd, was instrumental in brokering the first meeting between Sturgeon and Salmond.

Now a deputy presiding officer at Holyrood, Fabiani is one of three former SNP ministers on the committee was served under Salmond when he was first minister, as European affairs and culture minister from 2007 until 2009. Under Holyrood rules, it is the SNP’s turn to chair a new committee but the party has the right to step aside.

Jackie Baillie, a Scottish Labour MSP on the committee, and Donald Cameron, for the Tories, said they did not doubt Fabiani’s probity but warned it could raise questions about the committee’s independence and transparency.

The Liberal Democrats and Greens supported the SNP chairing the committee, which has now suspended its investigations until Salmond’s trial on 14 charges including attempted rape and sexual assault has finished. He denies all the charges.