Labour MSP resigns over friendship with convicted sex offender

Pam Duncan-Glancy, Scottish Labour MSP for the Glasgow Region, has resigned from the party’s shadow cabinet after her friendship with a convicted sex offender came to light.

In a letter addressed to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar on Friday, Duncan-Glancy resigned with immediate effect following media reports about her links to Sean Morton, a former councillor in Moray convicted in 2018 on charges related to child sex images.

She called the issue "a serious lapse in professional judgment" and said the situation meant she could no longer hold her position as shadow cabinet secretary for education and skills.

"I am writing today to formally resign, with immediate effect, from my position as Scottish Labour's shadow cabinet member for education and skills," Duncan-Glancy wrote.

"It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve in this role and to support you and the party as it seeks to give Scotland the new direction it so desperately needs.

"However, recent stories about relationships in my personal life have made clear a serious lapse in professional judgment. I recognise that, as a direct consequence of this failure, it is no longer tenable for me to continue to serve in my current role."

Anas Sarwar accepted her resignation, stating: "You have acknowledged a serious error of judgment. However, you have acted and taken the appropriate decision, and I thank you for that."

Scottish Labour confirmed the resignation, calling her decision "the right thing" in a statement. The party said it now considers the matter closed.

Following the resignation, Scottish Labour announced changes to its shadow cabinet. Paul O’Kane has been appointed shadow cabinet secretary for education and equalities, while Claire Baker will step into the role of shadow cabinet secretary for social security.

Morton, the former councillor involved, said in 2018 that child sex images had been sent to him "anonymously" and described feeling "revulsion" about what had occurred.

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