Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy resigns from shadow cabinet over friendship with convicted sex offender

A Labour MSP has resigned from the Scottish shadow cabinet over her friendship with a convicted sex offender.

Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for the Glasgow Region, wrote to the leader of Scottish Labour, Anas Sarwar, on Friday, resigning with immediate effect, after the Daily Record approached her regarding her links to former councillor Sean Morton, the paper reported.

In her resignation letter Duncan-Glancy said that stories surrounding relationships in her personal life “have made clear a serious lapse in professional judgment”.

The Daily Record said that they had been contacted by a member of the public with concerns about their friendship and that they were believed to be in frequent contact.

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

“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.”

Sarwar accepted her resignation and added: “You have acknowledged a serious error of judgment.

“However, you have acted and taken the appropriate decision, and I thank you for that.”

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “By resigning Pam Duncan-Glancy has done the right thing, we consider the matter closed.”

In a statement around the time of his sentencing in 2018, Morton said of the charges against him that child sex images had been sent to him “anonymously” and that he “felt revulsion” at what had happened.

Paul O’Kane has been appointed Scottish Labour’s shadow cabinet secretary for education and equalities, the party said, and Claire Baker has become shadow cabinet secretary for social security.