Ethics watchdog to investigate Mark McDonald complaint

Mark McDonald has insisted he is "morally justified" staying on as an MSP despite quitting the SNP

Scotland's public ethics watchdog is to investigate the conduct of former government minister Mark McDonald.

Mr McDonald stepped down as early years minister in November and has now left the SNP after admitting that his behaviour had caused "distress".

He has now returned to Holyrood as an independent MSP despite calls to quit.

However he now faces a fresh probe after the standards committee referred a complaint from a former SNP colleague to the ethical standards commissioner.

Mr McDonald said he would cooperate fully with the commissioner's investigation while "continuing to perform my constituency and parliamentary duties".

MSP James Dornan had written to the Holyrood committee to make a formal complaint about Mr McDonald, saying he had "used his position" to "harass" a female member of Mr Dornan's staff.

'Inappropriate' actions

Mr McDonald quit his ministerial role after reports that he had sent a text message to a woman which contained a reference to a sex act.

He initially said that "some of my previous actions have been considered to be inappropriate", before later conceding that his actions had caused "considerable distress and upset".

The Aberdeen Donside representative was subsequently suspended by the SNP after "new information" came to light, leading to a four-month absence from parliament while an investigation was conducted.

This culminated in Mr McDonald quitting the SNP earlier this month, but he insisted he was "morally justified" in staying on as an independent MSP.

Mark McDonald has returned to Holyrood as an independent MSP but has found himself frozen out by some colleagues

However, further concerns were raised by Mr Dornan, the SNP MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, who wrote to the standards committee to make an official complaint about Mr McDonald.

He said a member of his staff had been left distressed by her encounters with the MSP, saying: "On one occasion, I had to leave an event I was hosting to escort my staff member to a waiting car as she was sure Mr McDonald was waiting for her."

Mr Dornan also claimed that the unnamed woman was "so unwell due to stress" that she was admitted to hospital having suffered a stroke.

He added that she was "under other immense pressure", but said this was "compounded by a member who should have known better and who, in my opinion, used his position to harass her".

Ethical standards

Having considered the letter, standards committee convener Clare Haughey said "the most appropriate way of handling this complaint" was to refer it to the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.

She said: "The commissioner is resourced to carry out this type of investigatory work, although we appreciate the sensitivities associated with this unique area.

"We do not think it would be appropriate for the committee to undertake its own investigation and there is no procedure or precedent for the committee to do so.

"We understand that due process must be followed and this will take time regardless of who carries out the investigation. It is in no one's interest that this process becomes drawn out. We are confident the commissioner will recognise this."