Anas Sarwar addresses MSP Colin Smyth allegations as timeline questions emerge
The Scottish Labour leader has no been interviewed b police in relation to allegations against Colin Smyth.
Questions have been raised over when Labour and Holyrood bosses were aware of allegations against an MSP accused of placing a secret camera in the Scottish Parliament toilets and possession of indecent images.
Colin Smyth was arrested and charged by Police Scotland in relation to the possession of indecent images on August 5. It later emerged Mr Smyth has also been charged in relation to installing a spy camera in a toilet at the Scottish Parliament. Mr Smyth denies the allegations.
It is understood that Scottish Labour did not receive notification from Police Scotland about the charge and the nature of the allegations until August 18.
According to Labour sources, the party suspended Mr Smyth that same day. But a Parliament spokesperson has stated the intention to suspend him was not raised with the chief executive of Holyrood, David McGill, from Labour until the following day, August 19. The suspension was not confirmed in writing to Parliament from Labour until August 20 - the day the allegations were first reported in the media.
A Scottish Parliament spokesperson said Holyrood chiefs were first informed by Police Scotland over “images potentially taken at Holyrood” on August 8, but insisted the identity of the person in question was never released to them by police.
The allegations and charges against Mr Smyth first came to light in media reports on August 20. But officials at Holyrood did not deactivate Mr Smyth’s security pass until the evening of August 28, when the allegations related to a spy camera in the Scottish Parliament toilets were made public.
Mr Smyth was able to visit the Scottish Parliament after being charged by police on August 5, but before his security pass was deactivated.
The South of Scotland MSP, who now sits as an independent, told the Daily Record the appointment was “a request by constituents to visit Parliament that was in the diary for months”.
Asked by The Scotsman if he had previously been made aware of any concerns about Mr Smyth’s behaviour, Scottish Labour leader Sarwar said: “No.”
He said: “I was certainly not aware of any accusations or complaints. We, of course, have an independent process. Nothing was ever flagged to us as the Scottish Labour party, otherwise appropriate action would be taken.”
Mr Sarwar told journalists it was “deeply distressing and shocking for all of us and people across the parliamentary estate”.
He said: “As soon as we became aware of the seriousness of the allegations, Colin Smyth was suspended and now sits as an independent MSP. Any questions about the Parliament or the actions of Parliament should be raised with Parliament officials.”
The Scottish Labour leader said he was not aware that any of his colleagues had been interviewed as a potential witness or victim as part of the ongoing police investigation.
READ MORE: Police search Holyrood toilets after MSP accused of hiding camera as Parliament issues statement
Police carried out a “full sweep” of Holyrood’s toilets and changing rooms in the wake of the fresh claims over a hidden camera.
Asked whether he believed the Scottish Parliament toilets were safe, Mr Sarwar said: “That’s a question for the Scottish Parliament and for Scottish Parliament officials. I would like to believe so because everyone deserves that basic dignity and that basic security at work.”
Asked whether he would back calls, first reported on Friday, to remove Mr Smyth as convener of Holyrood’s economy and fair work committee, the Scottish Labour leader said: “The committee should elect a new convener. I think that’s pretty obvious.”
Police Scotland declined to comment on when the force first informed the Scottish Parliament about the allegations. The force pointed to a previously-issued statement.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, officers executed a warrant at a property in Dumfries and a 52-year-old man was arrested and charged as part of an ongoing investigation. He is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date."
A Scottish Parliament spokesperson said: “The Labour Party contacted the chief executive by phone on August 19 to inform him that that Colin Smyth would be ‘administratively suspended’ imminently from the Labour Party.
“The parliamentary authorities received formal confirmation of that in writing from the Labour Party on August 20 and the parliament updated the website that day to show he would sit as an independent.
“The Parliament only became aware of the charges against Colin Smyth when the news became public that day.
“As stated previously, we were made aware of the lines of inquiry in relation to the Parliament on 8 August. The individual involved in those lines of inquiry was not disclosed to the parliament and to date, we have had no formal, police confirmation that this is connected to Colin Smyth.”