The SNP has been criticised for a major delay in its investigation into the conduct of disgraced Renfrewshire MSP Derek Mackay.

Councillor Andy Doig has written to the party’s national secretary, Dr Angus MacLeod, to demand answers over when he plans to convene the disciplinary committee to consider Mr Mackay’s case.

The former finance secretary was suspended by the SNP on February 6 – pending an investigation into his behaviour – after it emerged he had bombarded a 16-year-old boy with 270 messages on social media.

Mr Mackay has remained a MSP but has largely been in hiding since his conduct was exposed.

However, two weeks ago, he made his first public statement in months as he offered support to hundreds of workers at the Rolls-Royce plant in Inchinnan who face losing their job.

The sudden announcement prompted Councillor Doig – who was suspended by the party himself in 2015 – to question where the disciplinary investigation is at.

He has now urged Dr MacLeod to provide Mr Mackay's constituents with an urgent update.

“The recent surfacing of Derek Mackay raises more questions than it provides answers,” said Councillor Doig, who represents Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch as an Independent.

“Why is it that, after a four-month period, the SNP leadership cannot, or will not, say what his status is within the SNP?

“Suspension of membership is not termination. He is still, de facto, a SNP member.

“As a former SNP assistant national secretary in the 1990s, and having knowledge of the length of disciplinary proceedings in recent years, it is unprecedented that now, more than four months since February 6, the SNP disciplinary committee appears not to have met to consider Mr Mackay’s case. Usually this happens within a month.

“Council boards and private businesses alike are managing to operate perfectly well using video conferencing, so I will not accept the Covid-19 crisis as an excuse for delay.

“I think it is high time my constituents, and all the people of Renfrewshire, get some answers as to where Derek Mackay stands in relation to the SNP because, currently, this is far from clear.”

In the messages Mr Mackay sent to the schoolboy, he called him “cute” and invited him to meet up.

He also asked that the conversations be kept secret.

Both Mr Mackay and the SNP were contacted for comment.

Read all the latest from Renfrewshire and beyond

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