Mcdonald suspended over fresh allegations

Former Scottish Government minister in misconduct claims

The SNP has suspended Mark Mcdonald after fresh allegations were made about the conduct of the former Scottish Government minister.

Party chiefs said they had made the decision after new information about the Aberdeen Donside MSP was brought to them in the last 24 hours.

It comes 12 days after he stepped down as childcare and early years minister after he admitted a separate incident of “inappropriate” behaviour.

An SNP spokesman said: “Following new information being received by the SNP relating to the behaviour of Mark Mcdonald, he has been suspended from both the parliamentary group and the party while further investigation takes place.”

As allegations of sleaze and sexual misconduct spread from Westminster to Holyrood, Mr Mcdonald was the first politician north of the border to be named in the scandal.

The married father of two resigned from the Scottish Government on November 4, with reports saying he had sent a text message to a woman which included a reference to a sex act.

He said at that time: “Some of my previous actions have been considered to be inappropriate – where I have believed myself to have been merely humorous or attempting to be friendly, my behaviour might have made others uncomfortable or led them to question my intentions.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Mr Mcdonald’s behaviour in that case was “about language not physical conduct”, with the SNP leader stressing while it was “right” for him to have left the Government he had not used “language that would come in any way close to being something that would be required to be referred to the police”.

Earlier this week he said he was “determined” to change.

Mr Mcdonald said last night: “I have not been advised of any details relating to the information received by the party but I stand ready to fully cooperate with any investigation into this matter.

“I will make no further comment at this time...”

Suspended: Mark Mcdonald.