Labour accused of cover-up over child porn charge councillor

Airdrie councillor David Fagan was arrested over alleged child images on September 7, while his party was fighting a close-run byelection in neighbouring Coatbridge.

North Lanarkshire Council last night said its chief executive learned of the arrest and “broad nature” of the alleged offences on September 8 and then informed council leader Jim Logue.

Mr Logue then informed deputy council leader Paul Kelly, the council said.

Scottish Labour General Secretary Brian Roy was also told about Cllr Fagan’s arrest and the seizure of computer equipment - but not specific charges - on September 8, and wrote to Police Scotland for more information.

However Labour did not suspend Cllr Fagan for another three weeks, until September 29, after the party had won the byelection on September 22.

The SNP last night said the sequence of events was "staggering".

The contest in Coatbridge North and Glenboig was a trailblazer for Labour, as its strategy was to defeat the SNP using local health cuts - a trial run for the 2017 council elections.

Labour candidate Alex McVey gained the seat from the Nationalists by less than 200 votes.

A North Lanarkshire Labour source said most councillors were kept in the dark until this week.

“There was nothing said at all about David Fagan to the Labour Group. If that had come out before the byelection, the SNP would have won it hundreds of votes.”

The win was seized on by Labour as evidence of a revival against the SNP.

UK leader Jeremy Corbyn, who posed for campaign pictures with Mr McVey in Lanarkshire a week after Cllr Fagan’s arrest, tweeted his congratulations following the victory.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale cited it in her UK Labour conference speech.

“When people say that the Scottish Labour Party can’t win elections, I say look to our victories in Coatbridge, in Fife and in Ayrshire this summer,” she told delegates in Liverpool.

And Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell referred to it in an interview with ITV’s Robert Peston during the conference, saying: “This week we won our first by-election in Scotland from the SNP in Coatbridge. Elaine Smith, used to be the local MSP, strong Corbyn supporter, ran a campaign there with the local pro-Corbyn candidate.”

Labour insiders insisted Mr Roy only learned of specific charges against Cllr Fagan on September 29, at which point he suspended Cllr Fagan with immediate effect.

It is understood Ms Dugdale only learned of the case last week.

An SNP spokesperson said: “These are staggering revelations. Mr Fagan is facing serious criminal proceedings and must be afforded the presumption of innocence.

“However, the questions for Labour are clear: why was Mr Fagan not immediately suspended, why were voters kept in the dark about the circumstances during a local by-election?

“People in North Lanarkshire will expect – and deserve – answers to all these questions.”

Former MSP John Wilson, the Green candidate in the byelection, added: “It would have done Labour a lot of damage if this had come out prior to the byelection and could have swung it for the SNP. It begs the question of whether this has been hushed up - 100 votes either way could have tipped it.”

Cllr Fagan, 52, is a former vice-chair of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

He previously worked for former Airdrie & Shotts MP Pamela Nash and former Airdrie & Shotts MSP Karen Whitefield.

He was the election agent to Central Scotland Labour MSP Richard Leonard in May.

He is due to appear at Airdrie Sheriff Court today.

A North Lanarkshire Council spokesman: “The chief executive was made aware of the arrest and broad nature of the charges, but not the specifics of them, on September 8.

“He informed the council leader on that date, who then informed the depute leader.

“Since that date, Councillor David Fagan has taken no part in any council business, including meetings, visits and surgeries."

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “We do not comment on live court cases.”