Pam Duncan-Glancy defends her relationship with convicted paedophile

A Labour MSP has defended her relationship with a twice-convicted paedophile after she was suspended from the party.

Pam Duncan-Glancy said she was “deeply disappointed” by Scottish Labour’s decision to remove the whip and said it was not yet clear why the party chose to do so now.

Party leader Anas Sarwar told reporters at Holyrood that the Glasgow MSP had been suspended after “new information” came to light.

It is not yet clear what the information is or when the party found out about it.

Ms Duncan-Glancy was sacked as Scottish Labour’s shadow education secretary by Mr Sarwar in December following revelations about her friendship with Sean Morton, a former Labour councillor in Moray who held indecent images of children.

In 2017, he was convicted for possessing indecent child images as well as extreme pornography of animals.

He was convicted again in January 2025 for possessing indecent images of children and breaching a sexual offences order and was given a 16-month sentence.

In her statement, Ms Duncan-Glancy said that while she did not condone Morton’s crimes, he remains someone who is vulnerable and in need of support.

She said: “I am deeply disappointed that the Party have taken the decision to remove the whip. The details of their decision to do this now are not yet clear to me.

“My personal relationship with someone who grew up with me, who stayed with my family for periods of time during our childhood, and who is to all intents and purposes, family, has never affected my work.

“When he was convicted of these very serious crimes, the justice system, rightly, dealt with him. I have never condoned his crimes and have always been clear that his actions were wrong.

“He, however, was and remains someone requiring support, and my family and I, as is often the case, ensured his welfare.

“There is no doubt this is difficult. I accept that not everyone will understand my reasons for doing what I did.

“My actions arise from loyalty and care. I was providing support to a highly vulnerable person. Loyalty and care are values that I think make me a good representative and for which I believe others know me for.

“I am also hugely grateful for the outpouring of support I have been shown, from constituents, colleagues, family, friends and indeed strangers alike.

“I joined parliament as the first permanent wheelchair user to do so. I am proud of that. What helped me get there is my unwavering fight for a better world.

“I will keep doing that, in the short weeks as I wind down my office and complete the important work I have started, including casework for my constituents.

“And then after, I will keep fighting for a better Scotland and a better world for all.”

Mr Sarwar said: “I sacked Pam Duncan-Glancy when I became aware of the situation, I sacked her from the shadow cabinet.

“When I asked her questions that she was not able to give me appropriate answers to, I removed her as a candidate going into this election.

“And now that we have an investigation, when new information has come to light, in light of that investigation, the whip has been withdrawn.”

Keir Starmer’s longstanding communications chief has also been suspended from the Labour whip in his new role in the Lords after it emerged that he had campaigned on behalf Morton.