Bill Walker has resigned from the Scottish Parliament after pressure over his domestic abuse convictions.
The independent Dunfermline MSP was found guilty of 23 charges over three decades at a court in Edinburgh last month. When the allegations were made public, he was ejected from the SNP. He is due to be sentenced in September. More than half of Scotland’s MSPs supported a motion calling for him to go.
In a statement, Walker said:
It has been increasingly difficult for my wife and my staff to deal with the media interest in my case. That same media onslaught has also made it impossible to properly represent my constituents and their interests.
My trial process on domestic abuse charges still continues at Edinburgh Sheriff Court with the sentence not due to be announced until September 20 after the receipt of the reports ordered by the court. However, circumstances have made it very difficult to continue as MSP, hence my decision to withdraw now.
Content from our partners
Related
