Scottish Labour has suspended Alex Rowley, the MSP who stepped down as interim leader after his former partner made allegations about his behaviour. The party withdrew the whip from Rowley in the Scottish parliament, effective immediately, pending an investigation.
The suspension came after a day of mounting pressure, with both candidates for the Scottish Labour leadership and former leader Kezia Dugdale calling for action. The claims, reported in the Scottish Sun, include allegations of abusive text messages and harassment over three years following the end of their relationship. Rowley denies the allegations and says he will take all steps to clear his name.
The woman, who remains anonymous, said she had reported the alleged behaviour to police, but no further action was taken. Police Scotland has since apologised for how her complaint was handled. Dugdale stated she would not have hesitated to suspend Rowley, describing the allegations as serious and deeply concerning.
In a statement, Rowley said he totally refuted the allegations and would refer himself to the party for investigation. James Kelly, Scottish Labour business manager, confirmed that the whip removal was due to the serious nature of the allegations, and the investigation would be fair and transparent.
Leadership candidates Anas Sarwar and Richard Leonard both pledged a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment. The leadership contest results are due on Saturday.
