THE Scottish Conservative interim leader has described claims that one of the party’s MPs groped men in a Westminster bar as “completely unacceptable”.
Jackson Carlaw said the alleged behaviour of Ross Thomson, who represents Aberdeen South, fell “well below the standard I think any of us would expect”.
In the north-east, one senior Tory said local activists are becoming anxious they can not hold on to the Westminster seat of Aberdeen South at the next election if Thomson is the candidate. This person gave his concerns to The National after the claims over the MP’s behaviour hit the front pages of newspapers yesterday.
It was alleged Thomson had to be escorted by the police from the Strangers bar in the Commons after officers were called following a report of “sexual touching”. He was not arrested or charged.
READ MORE: Scottish Tory MP Ross Thomson kicked out of pub for ‘groping’
“MPs are expected to have good behaviour 24-7. Ultimately the test for him, as it is for all elected representatives, is what voters think,” one party insider said.
“Clearly we want to hold on to the seat. It is marginal and we are getting anxious. But whether anything comes of it I don’t know.
“It’s actually pretty hard to deselect someone and the dynamics here are complex. He will probably be the candidate at the next election for us.”
Earlier Carlaw, who is standing in for Ruth Davidson while she is on maternity leave, was asked for his response to allegations the MP and former MSP had “groped” visitors at the Westminster bar.
Speaking at the Scottish Parliament yesterday, Carlaw said he had been made aware of the report through social media.
He added: “Inquiries are ongoing, however I know enough to say that the alleged behaviour is completely unacceptable and falls well below the standard I think any of us would expect of any elected representative. We may have more to say at a later time.”
Asked if Thomson should consider his position, Carlaw said: “Enquiries are ongoing at this time, but I can say – and I’m quite happy to say – his behaviour is completely unacceptable.”
Carlaw said the party has never received complaints about Thomson’s behaviour.
It comes after Thomson’s ex-husband, Douglas Mathewson, said the claims were a “good insight into why we are no longer together”.
Writing on Twitter, he said: “I believe the gravity of actions as reported in the public domain should be enough to show them what he is really like.”
At Westminster, David Mundell, when asked if Thomson was a fit person to represent Aberdeen South, replied: “That matter is under investigation [by the party] and because of that it would be inappropriate to make any comment on it.”
There was a suggestion the backbencher would make a statement on his Twitter account yesterday but nothing had been posted by the time The National went to print.
The allegations initially appeared on the Guido Fawkes political blog, which reported Thomson was drunk and removed from the pub a number of times before police were called.
Thomson is known as a “hardline” Brexiteer who has been an outspoken rebel on the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal and was among the Tory MPs who voted against it last month. He has previously been at the centre of a number of controversies.
In April 2018 he was criticised for posting a picture of himself on Facebook sitting on Saddam Hussein’s throne while on a trip to Iraq and boasting that he had been able to “channel his inner dictator”.
READ MORE: Tory MP Ross Thomson ‘insulted victims’ by smiling on Iraq throne
On Wednesday night one of Thomson’s colleagues told The Herald they were concerned about the pressure he was under.
“I have been worried about Ross. He has been under a lot of pressure with the workload and Brexit,” they said.
On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed they had been called around 11pm on Tuesday night following a report of “sexual touching”.
On Wednesday night Gillian Martin, the SNP MSP who resigned as higher education minister last year just after her appointment, when blog posts she wrote in 2007 came to light, tweeted: “Ross Thomson was particularly nasty and calling for my [head] 9 months ago. I believe he called me “unfit for public office” and called my character into question. Let’s hope for his sake people show him more kindness as he faces a media drubbing, than he showed me.”
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