First Minister says SNP candidates will go forward amid councillor row

The SNP’s selected candidates “will go forward for election”, First Minister John Swinney has said, amid calls for a Central Scotland list candidate to resign.

Tracy Carragher, leader of the SNP group on North Lanarkshire Council, is being urged to step down over her handling of sexual assault allegations against former council leader Jordan Linden.

Linden was convicted of 10 separate offences following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court. The convictions included five sexual assaults.

Ms Carragher, who is a list candidate for Central Scotland at the May election, is facing calls to resign after audio clips from a 2022 meeting were made public in which she voiced support for Linden after reports of his crimes.

Mr Swinney has announced an independent review of the SNP’s complaints process.

Speaking to the Press Association on Wednesday, Mr Swinney said: “It’s really important that in all of these situations, we listen to the voices of those who complain and that we address those issues, and that’s exactly the approach that the SNP is taking.

“The review that I have set out will explore and examine all the ways in which these issues have been handled and those issues will be resolved by the SNP.”

Ms Carragher is facing a council motion where she is accused of having ignored or downplayed complaints about Linden.

The motion, due to be debated on Thursday, calls for Ms Carragher’s immediate resignation alongside that of her colleague Fiona Fotheringham.

When asked by PA if he had confidence in Ms Carragher, Mr Swinney responded: “The party selected its candidates and its candidates will go forward for election.”