Disgraced former SNP minister admits upsetting women and is receiving support
Mark McDonald vowed to alter his behaviour.
TOM GORDON
THE disgraced former SNP minister who quit over sleaze has admitted causing a woman “considerable distress and upset” and said he is now receiving professional “support”.
Mark McDonald, who resigned as children’s minister after claiming he was guilty of nothing worse than misfiring attempts at humour, also vowed to alter his behaviour.
The changed story raises questions for Nicola Sturgeon, who initially played down the seriousness of Mr McDonald’s actions.
She said last week his behaviour was of a kind “that some others may well have thought was not serious enough to resign”, adding: “He’s a good MSP and he will continue to be so.”
But, writing in his local paper after a week “thinking and reflecting”, the married father-of-two said: “Last weekend, it was brought to my attention that actions of mine had caused considerable distress and upset.
“Regardless of context or intent, I accept full responsibility for my actions, and any consequences of them. There is no excuse and never should there be. I have apologised unreservedly and I do so again. I am sorry. There is no question in my mind that in making my apology it was also right for me to resign ... as a government minister.”
It is understood a sexually suggestive text message was involved in the case, But Mr McDonald said he would not be going into details to protect the complainer.
He went on: “For my apology to mean anything I must also commit to changing my behaviour and to taking more care in my actions and my language.”
After going to ground for 10 days, he said he would now be returning to work at his Aberdeen Donside constituency office. However, he would not return to parliament for an unspecified time.
He accepted voters might hold the issue against him. He said: “I will continue to serve the people of Aberdeen Donside as their constituency MSP. It will be for my constituents to decide at the next election whether or not they wish for me to continue in that role.”