A woman who was sent “inappropriate” messages by former Children’s Minister Mark McDonald has said she took action because “people have to change”.

Mr McDonald, the Aberdeen Donside MSP, quit the Scottish Government at the weekend following a complaint about text messages he had sent.

It is understood that the former minister is alleged to have sent a suggestive text message which included a reference to a sex act.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said last night that the sexual harassment scandal engulfing Holyrood and Westminster had to trigger a wider transformation in attitudes and behaviour.

She told the Press and Journal: “The bottom line in this is there’s no point in people coming forward if people don’t change.

“People have to change in the future. Apologies are all well and good but if it doesn’t change how people act…

“That’s why people have come forward. People don’t want this. I don’t want it.”

Mr McDonald became the highest profile political casualty of harassment allegations north of the border when he resigned from the government at the weekend.

The former Aberdeen councillor said on Saturday that it had been brought to his attention that his “previous actions have been considered to be inappropriate”, and where he believed himself to have been “merely humorous or attempting to be friendly, my behaviour might have made others uncomfortable or led them to question my intentions”.

He apologised “unreservedly” and said he believed it would not be “appropriate” for him to continue as a minister.

Mr McDonald did not respond to the Press and Journal’s calls last night.

Yesterday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon backed the 37-year-old to continue as an MSP after resigning his Scottish Government position.

She said others may not have thought Mr McDonald’s behaviour was “serious enough” to stand down as minister for childcare and early years, but that he had “done the right thing”.

The SNP leader said: “Mark has reflected and taken responsibility for behaviour that some others may well have thought was not serious enough to resign but he’s done the right thing and taken responsibility, he’s going to continue his work as an MSP.

“He’s a good MSP and he will continue to be so.”

She added: “He has reflected on his behaviour having had things brought to his attention, aspects of his behaviour that he thought was humorous or friendly he now knows made certain women feel uncomfortable. He’s done the right thing by taking responsibility for that.

“I’m not going to say any more about the detail of that because as well as Mark’s position, these situations of course involve the privacy and confidentiality of women and if we are to encourage women to come forward and raise concerns then it’s important that they know their privacy will be respected.”