A COUNCILLOR under investigation for allegedly making sexual comments to a young female cleaner has been removed from
his party.
Former Labour politician Bryan Pottinger was stripped of the whip in Midlothian on December 11 – nine months after the party first became aware of the claims.
He was previously placed on administrative suspension by Labour HQ but is now no longer a member of his council group.
Pottinger, 65, has been banned from Midlothian Council HQ since the complaint was lodged in April by a young woman working as a cleaner for the authority.
As revealed by the Sunday Mail, Pottinger is alleged to have made a comment about the woman’s “wrist skills” while the pair were alone in a committee room after a meeting.
He is also claimed to have approached her but the incident was interrupted when a fellow Labour councillor came into the room after forgetting something.
It is the second time Pottinger has faced complaints about making inappropriate comments.
In 2022, it was alleged he made remarks to an SNP councillor about her underwear, stared at her chest and said he wanted to take her out on a date.
The Standards Commission didn’t impose any sanctions as it was unable to determine if Pottinger made the comments.
He strongly denied the claims and his colleagues dismissed them as “politically motivated”.
A Midlothian SNP source said Labour had done the “right thing” in removing the whip from Pottinger but added: “It just begs the question, why now? They’ve known about this since April.”
When previously asked about the latest complaint, Pottinger said he was unable to comment as there was a probe ongoing but added the allegations were “unfounded”.
A Midlothian Council spokesman said: “I can advise that [Pottinger] is not now affiliated to the Midlothian Council Labour Group.”
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