A SCOTTISH Labour councillor has had the whip removed amid an investigation for making sexual comments to a young female cleaner.
Bryan Pottinger – a councillor in Midlothian – was stripped of the whip on December 11 according to the Sunday Mail, nine months after the party was first informed of the claims.
The newspaper reports that the 65-year-old is alleged to have made a comment while alone after a meeting about the woman’s “wrist skills”.
He is also alleged to have approached her before being interrupted by a colleague returning to the room.
Pottinger also faced complaints about inappropriate comments in 2022, when he was alleged to have talked about an SNP councillor’s underwear – also staring at her chest and asking her on a date.
He strongly denied the claims and the Standards Commission didn’t take any action at the time due to a lack of evidence.
A Midlothian SNP source told the newspaper that Labour had done the “right thing” but added: “It just begs the question, why now? They’ve known about this since April.”
Pottinger previously said he was unable to comment due to an ongoing probe but added the allegations were “unfounded”.
A Midlothian Council spokesman said: “I can advise that [Pottinger] is not now affiliated to the Midlothian Council Labour Group.”
