Alex Rowley steps aside from role but Kezia Dugdale says she would not have hesitated to suspend him if she were leader

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Scottish Labour’s interim leader has stepped aside after his former partner made a series of claims about his behaviour during and after their relationship.



Alex Rowley stepped down from the role but denied the allegations and insisted he would “take all steps” to clear his name.

But Kezia Dugdale, the previous leader of the party, whose unexpected resignation in August led to Rowley becoming caretaker, immediately called for her former deputy to be suspended, describing the allegations as “serious and deeply concerning”.

The claims, which appeared in Wednesday’s Scottish Sun, included the allegation that the MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife had sent a series of abusive text messages to the woman, who described her former partner as “a ruthless bully”.

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, also told the newspaper she had told police about the alleged behaviour, and no further action had been taken after an investigation.

Had she remained leader of the party, Dugdale said, she would not have hesitated to suspend Rowley while the allegations were being investigated.

“Given the evidence published today, the right course of action for the Labour party to take would be suspension,” she said.

“Sexual harassment and abuse is never acceptable. If the past weeks have taught us anything, it is that we need to support victims of abuse, and every allegation needs to be taken seriously and investigated in a fair and transparent way.”

The news plunged Scottish Labour into further disarray amid an ill-tempered leadership contest between Anas Sarwar and his Corbynite challenger Richard Leonard, the results of which will be announced on Saturday.



In a statement, Rowley said: “I totally refute these allegations and will take all steps necessary to clear my name. These allegations must be properly and thoroughly investigated in line with our party’s procedures, and I will refer myself to the party so such an investigation can take place.”

A Scottish Labour party spokesman said: “Alex Rowley has stood aside as interim and deputy leader of Scottish Labour and referred himself to the party’s internal complaints procedure regarding allegations made against him.”

Rowley, who previously worked as an education official for the TUC, acted as election agent for the former prime minister Gordon Brown for five years.

This week, the former Scottish government minister for childcare and early years Mark McDonald spoke publicly for the first time since resigning his cabinet post following allegations about sending “inappropriate” text messages.

Writing in the Aberdeen Press and Journal on Monday, McDonald said he was seeking support to help him to change his behaviour.

“For my apology to mean anything, I must also commit to changing my behaviour and to taking more care in my actions and my language. I am determined to do that,” he said.

“I have been offered support through the SNP to help me understand more about the way I behaved, the impact it had upon others and how I can work to ensure my behaviour does change. I have accepted that offer of support.”