Derek Mackay came in, made a speech and he spoke to the pupils about acting with integrity, which he clearly was not practising at the time
Event boss’s shock over messages to teenager
Derek Mackay hosted schoolboys at a night- time “meet and greet” within the same month he sent 31 inappropriate texts to a 16-year-old.
Teachers received an email encouraging pupils to attend the “life story” event after the former finance secretary put himself forward as the guest of honour, the Sunday Mail can reveal.
An opposition MSP has called for an urgent investigation into the reception, which was aimed at children and held in a Glasgow office block in November.
Event organiser Kieran Aitken said: “A shiver goes through me when I think about it now.”
An invite sent to schools in the Greater Glasgow area said: “Derek Mackay will be sharing his life story, reflections and advice for young people in politics.”
It added that the evening would be “aimed at school students” and that there would be “photograph opportunities” and a “meet and greet” with the minister.
It went on to advise that attendance for pupils and teachers was free of charge and added: “Tickets are going quickly… we hope to see your school represented.”
Mackay was forced to resign on Thursday and police are investigating after it emerged he befriended a 16-year- old schoolboy on Facebook and Instagram and sent him 270 social media messages.
It is unclear whether the boy’s school was invited to the “Life story of Derek Mackay” event on November 12.
But in the same month it took place, Mackay sent 31 messages to the teenager, including asking, “How’s the rugby?” and “Would you want to go to a rugby reception in the Scottish Parliament?” and saying, “I think the Scottish Rugby Union host a reception and some of the players are meant to be coming along”.
Organiser Kieran, 23, has told how he initially asked Nicola Sturgeon to speak but then heard back from Mackay’s team, who said he would attend instead.
He said: “We contacted Nicola Sturgeon initially but the next thing we heard back was from
Derek Mackay’s team. It became apparent it would be Mackay who would come along. “We had a group of around 30- odd young people along with some teachers and friends of our organisation.
“A shiver goes through me when I think about it now because we work with schools across the country and my biggest priority is to make sure our people are safe. “The last person that I thought I would have to worry about was a senior government minister and, hence, we didn’t go through disclosure checks with him – so I was pretty shocked.
“The event was to be shown to 100,000 students across the UK but I can now confirm that we won’t be putting that video out for obvious reasons. We are going to withdraw that given the situation.”
Kieran, who runs workshops for aspiring young entrepreneurs and could have known nothing of Mackay’s conduct, added: “Don’t get me wrong – he was very polite and nobody in the room that day
suspected anything. But when I have met him before, he was very down to earth. This time, there was an aura of power around him.
“You see it a lot with politicians in high positions. I’m not saying he was arrogant but he had this aura.
“He came in and made a speech and he spoke about acting with integrity, which he clearly wasn’t practising at the time. I have now seen that Mackay sent one of these messages the day before, which is quite worrying.”
Mackay, 42, quit the Scottish Cabinet hours before he should have been delivering Scotland’s £43billion budget, after his online behaviour emerged.
Labour’s Neil Bibby has demanded a full investigation into the school even event. He said: “Given what we now kno know about Derek Mackay abusing his position and reports that he was previously warned about his behaviour, this matter should be fully investigated. Parents wil l rightly be asking why Derek Mackay was allowed to attend this event instead of the First Minister. Parents have the right to know there are proper safeguards in place whenever their children are being invited to an event outside the school.”
Dad-of-two Mackay, who came out as gay in 2013, has been suspended from the SNP and the parliamentary group pending an investigation.
The teenager involved has spoken to police over the online bombardment, which happened after Mackay sent him an initial message out of the blue.
In one text exchange two days after Christmas, the senior MSP wrote: “You are looking good with that new haircut.”
The teenager repl ied: “Thanks, needed a change. Long hair was getting annoying.”
Mackay added: “Cute. You don’t mind compliments.”
In another text, he asked the 16-year-old, “And our chats are between us?”, before telling the boy: “Cool, then to be honest I think you are really cute.”
He contacted the teenager over a six-month period and offered to take him to a rugby game and out to dinner.
The three main opposition leaders have now called for Mackay to quit as an MSP.
Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw has called Mackay’s actions “grooming”, while Labour leader Richard Leonard deemed it “predatory” behaviour.
Sturgeon has been accused of a failure of leadership after it emerged her Government demanded to know the “justification for publication” for the original story and the name of the 16-year- old boy.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney, who said he was “utterly stunned” by the revelations, insisted the Government had “simply asked for information to give us the veracity and the substance of the points that were being put to us”.
Mackay has said he “behaved foolishly” and apologised unreservedly to the teenage boy and his family.
Police have confirmed that they are “assessing the available information” on the case.
Parents will rightly be asking why Derek Mackay was allowed to attend this event
Shamed Derek Mackay was given an honorary title with a leading organisation for schooboys.
The politician’s role with the Boys’ Brigade is now under review following the revelations of his inappropriate relationship with a school pupil.
The former finance secretary has a long-standing role with the Christian boys’ group.
He was made honorary vice-president of Paisley and District BB battalion and has attended events for more than a decade, including when he was leader of Renfrewshire Council.
In 2010, he and Paisley provost Celia Lawson welcomed 33 battalion boys to Paisley Abbey to congratulate them on their achievements.
When he was elected as an MSP in 2011, Mackay said he would donate most of his council wages to good causes after his Holyrood victory meant he held two jobs – and two wages.
The salary sacrifice went to various voluntary organisations, including youth groups.
In 2012, Paisley and Distr ict battalion’s Facebook page posted a picture of a Boys’ Brigade volunteer showing then-local government and planning minister Mackay plans for its new headquarters on the town’s North Croft Street.
The HQ was eventually opened five years later.
Acting BBB chief executive Jonathan Eales last night stressed Mackay had “limiteded association” with the youth organisation.
He said: “I can confirm that Derek Mackayackay is not a volunteer youth leader within the Boys’ Brigade and has noo active role working with our young people.ple.
“He holdsds an honorary posit ion iinn Paisley andd District battalion, which is restricted to being a supporter of our work. In light of recent allegations, this will now be subject to review.”
It comes after Mackay deleted his social media presencep in the wake of shockingshockin revelations he groomed a 16-year- old boy. But the Sunday Mail can reveal ththat on August 27 last year – withinw days of him sendingsendin inappropriate texts to a pupil – Mackay said on Facebook that he had written to all head teachers in his constituency to let them know he was “happy to visit”.
The post stated: “One of the things I enjoy most about being an MSP is visiting schools in the constituency to speak to youngsters of all ages.
“Sometimes questions from school kids – either in person or via letter – can be the toughest politicians face. But hearing their views is something I thoroughly enjoy.
“In the school year ahead, I hope to be able to visit as many local schools as possible.
“Today I have written to all the head teachers in the constituency to let them know I am happy to visit, and that I am available and ready to face some enjoyable ‘grillings’.”
In another deleted post, he uploaded a picture of himself with school pupils on a visit to Gryffe High School in Houston, Renfrewshire.
The image, which is still on the school’s website, shows him flanked by pupils who had been competing in a Youth Speaks competition.
Yesterday, it was revealed that police have spoken to the 16- year- old schoolboy who was bombarded with social media messages by Mackay. A
force spokeswoman said: “We have not received any complaint of criminality, however we are currently assessing available information.
“We would encourage anyone with information to please come forward. Police Scotland will always listen to anyone who wishes to seek advice or formally report a matter to us.”
Opposit ion pol it icians have condemned what they described as
“predatory” behaviour from Mackay, who was the bookies’ favourite to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as f irst minister, saying the messages amounted to grooming.
Further concerns about his behaviour were raised when married SNP activist Shaun Cameron, 25, told the Daily Record that Mackay, 42, had hounded him with messages.
In one message, the politician asked
Shaun if he had any “naughty pics” and in another he asked him to “come stay with me sometime”.
Mackay, a father of two who came out as gay in 2013, has not been seen in public since the story broke on Wednesday night.
Once widely seen as one of the most able and capable ministers in the Scottish Cabinet, the hunt is now on for his successor.
With a raft of new tax powers, the position is one of the most important and responsible roles in government in Scotland.
Public finance minister Kate Forbes, a fluent Gaelic speaker who graduated from Cambridge and Edinburgh universities, stood in for Mackay last week but at 29 might be considered too inexperienced for the top job.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson, energy minister Paul Wheelhouse and universities minister Richard Lochhead are also being tipped.