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MSP resigns after conviction

OPPOSITION parties have called on the SNP to further investigate the circumstances surrounding disgraced MSP Bill Walker's election to Holyrood.

Walker, who was convicted of a string of domestic abuse charges, bowed to pressure and stood down from his position as MSP for Dunfermline.

Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has urged the SNP to commission an independent inquiry into Walker's selection as a candidate for the party, while Labour wants the party to publish all the information it possessed on any allegations against him.

Campaigners and the majority of MSPs had been calling on the 71-year-old to step down since he was found guilty of 23 domestic abuse charges against his ex-wives.

Walker was found guilty following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month. He carried out the attacks against his three ex-wives and a stepdaughter between 1967 and 1995.

The former SNP MSP, who was ejected from the party when the allegations surfaced, denied the charges. He is due to be sentenced later this month.

Mr Rennie said: "Removing Bill Walker from the parliament was the priority. But now that he's gone I am requesting the SNP commission an independent-led inquiry into these events and their internal processes.

He added: "The SNP need to accept responsibility for Bill Walker taking a seat in our parliament.

"No party is immune from unsuitable people seeking public office using their platform but processes need to be robust to root them out when it is clear who they are.

"The SNP had been told of the allegations about Bill Walker but allowed him to continue to represent them on the council, as a candidate and ultimately in our parliament.

"We need to know how this was allowed to happen, why a decision was made not to properly investigate the allegations and who made the decision."

Labour's Graeme Pearson said: "We need to know why the warnings about Bill Walker's violence were not heeded by some of the most senior members of the SNP.

"The SNP need to be open and upfront about what happened and why they didn't block Bill Walker as a candidate."