Labour MSP quits over ‘dark and dusky’ comments

A Labour MSP has stepped down from two high profile roles at the Scottish Parliament after he was caught ogling a "dark and dusky girl" in the public gallery.

Frank McAveety's comments about the woman were picked up by a microphone in between sessions at a committee discussion of public petitions at Holyrood on Tuesday.

The MSP for Shettleston, who was the convener of the committee, was heard to say: "There's a very attractive girl in the second row, dark... and dusky. We'll maybe put a wee word out for her.

"She's very attractive looking, nice, very nice, very slim. The heat's getting to me. She looks kind of... she's got that Filipino look. You know... the kind you'd see in a Gauguin painting. There's a wee bit of culture."

His comments came between discussions of petitions on wind farms and Parkinson's disease at the Scottish Parliament.

McAveety, who is married with two children, has now resigned from his role of convener of the committee and as Labour's sports spokesperson after widespread condemnation of his remarks.

Glasgow SNP MSP Sandra White described McAveety's comments as "at best sexist and sleazy - and at worst, sexist, sleazy and racist."

Not only were his comments lecherous, he also failed with his cultural reference. Gauguin's subjects were, of course, painted in Tahiti and the Marquesas (above) - on the other side of the Pacific Ocean to the Philippines. ·