Labour MSP suspended over inappropriate conduct claim

Foysol Choudhury has been suspended by Scottish Labour after a complaint was made against him

Scottish Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury has been suspended by the party over an allegation of inappropriate conduct.

Choudhury, who has represented Lothian as an MSP for Labour since 2021, will sit as an independent while a party investigation is carried out.

A Labour spokesperson said: "The Labour Party takes all complaints seriously.

"They are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate action is taken."

It is understood Choudhury has been "administratively suspended" following a complaint against him.

Commenting on the suspension, SNP MP Kirsty Blackman said Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar "must urgently come clean on the reasons why yet another Labour Party MSP has been suspended".

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton Labour was in "complete chaos" on the eve of their party conference.

She added: "Labour should should be as transparent as possible about what's happened."

Sarwar later responded to that call, saying the SNP's language was "deeply concerning".

"I don't think they understand independent complaints procedures and also safeguarding issues," he told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show.

Speaking from the Labour conference in Liverpool, Sarwar said the party's independent complaints body believed there was "enough there to investigate," and that Choudhury would remain suspended while that investigation takes place.

Bangladeshi-born Choudhury is chairman of the Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council.

He was one of the founding directors and is vice chairman of the multi-cultural festival Edinburgh Mela.