Shamed minister suspended by SNP
FORMER finance secretary Derek Mackay has been suspended from the SNP following reports he sent hundreds of messages to a 16-year-old boy, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed at First Minister’s Questions.
She faced calls to investigate his “predatory” behaviour after Mr Mackay stepped down from his Cabinet post yesterday.
Ms Sturgeon said his conduct “falls seriously below the standard required of a minister” and he had been suspended from both the party and the SNP parliamentary group at Holyrood “pending further investigation”.
The father-of-two, who came out as gay in 2013, quit as finance minister after The Scottish Sun reported he sent 270 messages to a boy he befriended on Facebook and Instagram.
News of his resignation came hours before he was due to deliver the budget for the coming year – with Public Finance Minister Kate Forbes stepping in to make the tax and spending announcements.
Speaking at Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon said: “Members will be aware that I have accepted the resignation of Derek Mackay as Finance Secretary.
“Derek Mackay has apologised unreservedly for his conduct and recognised, as I do, that it was unacceptable and falls seriously below the standard required of a minister.
“I can also advise that this (Thursday) morning he has been suspended from both the SNP and our parliamentary group pending further investigation.”
Mr Mackay accepted he had “behaved foolishly” as he apologised unreservedly to the youngster and his family.
In one message, he is alleged to have asked the teenager: “And our chats are between us?”
When the boy agreed, Mr Mackay told him: “Cool, then to be honest I think you are really cute.”
The newspaper alleges he contacted the teenager over a six-month period and offered to take him to a rugby game and out to dinner.
Scottish Tory interim leader Jackson Carlaw asked Ms Sturgeon at FMQs if the reputation of the Scottish Parliament could survive while Mr Mackay remained a member.
She said: “Clearly there are issues that Derek Mackay will need to reflect on.
“Based on what I knew last night, it was clear to me that Derek Mackay remaining in Government was simply not an option.
“Having seen the fuller detail ... further action has been taken in relation to his membership of the SNP and the parliamentary group.
“There are very serious matters for me to have to deal with ... and there will be matters that Derek Mackay will be reflecting on and will continue to have to reflect on.”
In November 2017, the SNP suspended Mark McDonald after he resigned as childcare minister over “inappropriate” behaviour said to have involved text messages.
After the story broke Mr Mackay announced he had quit as Finance Secretary with immediate effect.