MSP defends friendship with sex offender after Labour suspension
FacebookMSP Pam Duncan-Glancy has defended her friendship with a sex offender after being suspended by Scottish Labour.
The Glasgow representative is being investigated by her party over her ties to former Moray councillor Sean Morton, who has twice been convicted of possessing indecent images of children.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said Duncan-Glancy had been suspended after "new information" came to light.
Duncan-Glancy said she was "deeply disappointed" by the decision, which she said had not been fully explained to her.
She said she did not condone Morton's crimes, but had acted to support a "vulnerable" friend who she likened to family.
Her suspension from Labour's Holyrood group was announced on Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday, Sarwar told reporters Duncan-Glancy had lost the party whip due to a fresh investigation looking into new information.
He said he had sacked the Glasgow MSP from Labour's front bench when he became aware of the situation, and dropped her as an election candidate when he did not receive "appropriate answers" to questions about Morton.
He also said he would not tolerate unacceptable behaviour.
Duncan-Glancy admitted a "serious error of personal judgement" in December after it emerged she kept in contact with Morton following his 2017 conviction for possessing indecent child images and extreme pornography.
She also announced she would not seek re-election in May's Holyrood election.
However, the Daily Record reported last month that Duncan-Glancy had continued her friendship with Morton after he was jailed in January 2025 for possessing indecent images of children and breaching a sexual offences order.
He was given two 16-month sentences, backdated to May 2024. It was reported he attended Duncan-Glancy's birthday celebration late last year after being released.
In a statement following the suspension, Duncan-Glancy said her relationship with Morton had never affected her role as a politician.
"When he was convicted of these very serious crimes, the justice system, rightly, dealt with him," she said.
"I have never condoned his crimes and have always been clear that his actions were wrong.
"He however was and remains someone requiring support, and my family and I, as is often the case, ensured his welfare."
She added: "There is no doubt this is difficult. I accept that not everyone will understand my reasons for doing what I did.
"My actions arise from loyalty and care. I was providing support to a highly vulnerable person."
'Clear error of judgement'
Labour also suspended newly appointed peer Lord Doyle from its group in the House of Lords on Tuesday evening amid an investigation into his ties to Morton.
Doyle campaigned for Morton when he ran as an independent candidate in 2017 - despite Morton having been dropped by Labour after being charged with possessing indecent images of children.
Doyle has apologised for his "clear error of judgement".
The Sunday Times published a story detailing the peer's association with Morton on 27 December, before he was sworn into the Lords in January.
Starmer told MPs his former director of communications had not given a "full account" of his actions when he was being vetted for the peerage.
Opposition MPs rounded on the prime minister, calling for him to strip Doyle of his peerage.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called Starmer "the most gullible former director of public prosecutions in history" over the vetting of both Mandelson and Doyle.
