Former Scottish finance secretary Derek Mackay has resigned from the Scottish National Party (SNP) after being suspended over messages he sent to a teenage boy. Mackay, who represents Renfrewshire North and West, stepped down from his ministerial role in February last year, hours before he was due to deliver the Scottish budget.
The scandal emerged after The Scottish Sun reported that Mackay had sent hundreds of messages to a 16-year-old on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. The Renfrewshire North and West MSP was suspended from the SNP pending further investigation but continued to sit as an independent in the Scottish Parliament.
In a letter to the SNP national secretary, Mackay confirmed he was not seeking to retain his party membership, stating he wished to focus on his mental health recovery and serving his constituents. An SNP spokesperson said: 'Derek Mackay has resigned his membership of the SNP, bringing the matter to a close. As was widely reported last year, Mr Mackay was receiving mental health support, and as a result disciplinary action was paused. We wish him well for his recovery.'
Police Scotland investigated the messages but concluded that no crime had been committed. Mackay had previously apologised 'unreservedly' to the teenager and his family, admitting he had 'behaved foolishly'.
