Former Scottish minister called on to resign from parliament

Women from across Scotland’s political spectrum have voiced their anger at the former childcare minister who resigned from the Scottish National party (SNP) over inappropriate behavior but refuses to stand down from parliament.

According to Press TV, Mark McDonald resigned from the SNP on Tuesday after an internal party investigation found he was responsible for persistent and inappropriate behavior towards women, unwanted attention causing distress and “exploiting his position of power.”

However, he insisted that he would stay on at Holyrood as an independent Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) and will return to the Scottish parliament next week.

Some senior female MSPs have raised practical concerns about McDonald’s return to the parliament building, describing the serious situation as “uncharted and very difficult territory.”

“This parliament made a great deal of noise about cracking down on sexual harassment after the Weinstein revelations, and plastered its lifts with posters saying so. But the real question is this: what steps have they taken to support those individuals who came forward?” said Aamer Anwar, the lawyer who has represented several women complaining of sexual harassment at the Scottish parliament.

“There is a great deal of anger from a number of women in the parliament who feel that this issue has still not been resolved,” Anwar added.

The 37-year-old member SNP resigned in November after admitting that his “previous actions have been considered to be inappropriate.”

The SNP said that three women had complained about McDonald’s conduct, and that their investigation had substantiated allegations made by two of the women.

Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister and SNP Leader, told reporters on Tuesday she could not see why McDonald felt it was right to remain at Holyrood if he felt it necessary to leave the party because of his conduct.

A confidential survey reported early March that more than 200 cases of sexual harassment and sexist behavior have occurred in the Scottish Parliament over the past two years.

The survey commissioned by the Scottish Parliament but carried out by an independent market research company, revealed on that 30 percent of women working in the Holyrood building had been sexually harassed.

ME