LABOUR’S ABUSE CLAIM COVER-UP
Allegations against Scots leader raised with party FIVE weeks ago
LABOUR kept Scottish leader Alex Rowley in his job for five weeks after being told an ex-lover had made abuse claims against him.
Party officials were informed about stalking and harassment allegations last month – but failed to act on the shocking claims.
Mr Rowley was suspended by the party yesterday after his alleged victim claimed she endured ‘three years of hell’ as he bombarded her with abusive messages.
But the Mail can reveal that officials were informed about the 49-year-old woman’s allegations on October 10 after this newspaper passed on vital information.
His alleged victim said she was driven to speak out after seeing other women go public about harassment by politicians and superstars.
She said that Mr Rowley had destroyed her life, adding: ‘I’m a shadow of the woman I once was.’
The abuse allegations have plunged Labour into chaos ahead of the announcement of its new leader on Saturday. Last
night a spokesman for the Scottish Tories said: ‘For a party so quick to criticise others when it comes to this kind of thing, Labour appear to have been extremely slow to act.’
Yesterday, Mr Rowley said he would step aside while he clears his name, and he refuted the allegations.
We can also reveal that Mr Rowley was asked by Labour chiefs whether anything in his background could embarrass the party while he was being vetted to become candidate for Cowdenbeath in a 2013 by-election – and replied: ‘No.’
During the campaign, he was heavily backed by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a close ally for several years.
Mr Rowley’s ex-partner, who first complained to police in 2011 and then again in 2014, alleged that the party’s acting leader became ‘obsessed’ with her. She alerted police but officers took no further action following an investigation.
In an interview with the Scottish Sun, the alleged victim branded Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Mr Rowley, 53, a ‘ruthless bully’.
The Mail contacted Scottish Labour on October 10 after being told Police Scotland was aware of allegations of stalking and harassment against Mr Rowley. We then received a letter from Gerald Shamash, of Steel & Shamash Solici-
‘It was a control thing’
tors in London, which said the firm acted on behalf of Mr Rowley, ‘acting leader’ of Scottish Labour.
It said: ‘We cannot state strongly enough our client categorically denies all these allegations. Our client has never been contacted by police in relation to these matters and has never stalked anyone nor sought to cause psychological harm to anyone, whatever that might entail.’
The letter was also emailed to a Press officer for Labour.
Last night, a Scottish Labour spokesman insisted that ‘ on the instance of them [Steel & Shamash] contacting the Mail, they were specifically acting on behalf of Alex in a personal capacity’.
On October 11, the Mail received a second letter – this time f rom Glasgow- based Thompson Solicitors – on behalf of Mr Rowley, which said he ‘has never been interviewed by Police Scotland in respect of this (or any) matter where he is named as the perpetrator of a criminal offence’.
Last night, a Police Scotland spokesman said it would be ‘inappropriate to comment’.
But sources close to the case insisted Mr Rowley was questioned by police and that police chiefs apologised to his ex-partner over aspects of the investigation. Commenting on why the party did not act when the Mail raised the alle- gations against Mr Rowley five weeks ago, a Scottish Labour spokesman said: ‘The party had insufficient knowledge to initiate any type of formal investigation prior to the reports being featured in the Sun newspaper. The party has acted in accordance with procedures at all times.’
Mr Rowley’s ex-lover was questioned by police about his alleged behaviour in 2014. But the officer who spoke to her recorded she had ‘underlying mental health issues’, despite no basis for the claim. A probe was launched and Chief Inspector Nicola Shepherd wrote to apologise.
The woman, who has asked for her identity to be protected, met the party chief through her job in Fife in 1997. She said it was not until 2010 that he tried to get to know her personally.
The alleged victim said: ‘He was a ruthless bully, blowing hot one minute then cold the next. It was a control thing.’ By March 2011, she said she had become so unsettled about Mr Rowley’s behaviour she went to police. She said: ‘I didn’t name him at the time, I just wanted a record kept.’
She added: ‘Eventually, I got fed up and our romantic relationship ended.’
In November 2013, Mr Rowley and the woman were sug-
‘Take all steps to clear my name’
gested as by- election candidates for the Cowdenbeath seat at Holyrood.
But she claims party bosses told her she should not stand, paving the way for Mr Rowley to be elected.
She said she told Mr Rowley she did not want to hear from him, but she said he would email and text at all hours – with some content allegedly menacing. She lodged her second police complaint on November 30, 2014, and named the father of three.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Rowley said: ‘I totally refute these allegations and will take all steps necessary to clear my name.’
Labour confirmed the party whip would be withdrawn from Mr Rowley in Holyrood, meaning he becomes an independent MSP.
The party yesterday appointed Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie as acting leader. She previously served in the post for nearly two months in 2014 when Johann Lamont quit. Miss Baillie will only remain in post until Saturday – when the victor in the contest between Anas Sarwar and Richard Leonard is announced.
Mr Sarwar, Mr Leonard and former Scottish Labour leader Miss Dugdale had called for Mr Rowley to be suspended.