MSP Anas Sarwar said he was disappointed after a Labour Party investigation found a councillor accused of using a racial slur when referring to him had no case to answer.

Sarwar claimed last year that during his campaign to succeed Kezia Dugdale as Scottish Labour leader in 2017, he was told that “Scotland wouldn’t vote for a brown Muslim Paki”.

South Lanarkshire’s Davie McLachlan was later named as the councillor alleged to have made the comment.

The case against McLachlan, who categorically denied the claim, was dismissed at a National Constitutional Committee hearing in Glasgow.Sarwar said: “I’m disappointed with the process and outcome and will have more to say about it.”

McLachlan said: “I don’t think my family and I will ever get over the stress this has brought to all of us. My reputation and character have been badly maligned by the false accusations made against me.”