SNP axe sex offender's friend

AN SNP candidate was sensationally axed by the party over her friendship with sex offender Jordan Linden yesterday hours after being defended by John Swinney.

- BY DAVID WALKER

Tracy Carragher has been suspended and will no longer be a list contender at the upcoming Scottish Parliament election. She also serves as the party's group leader on North Lanarkshire Council but will now need to be replaced.

The brutal move came 24 hours before a key full council meeting today where she would have faced a motion calling for her resignation.

It is another humiliation for the First Minister who has come to her defence repeatedly over the last five days. Ms Carragher was called as a defence witness in Linden's court case and remained close friends with him since he quit the party after being accused of sexual misconduct.

She was also accused of failing to act on any complaints made to her about his inappropriate behaviour.

He faces a jail sentence after being convicted on 10 counts of sexual charges, with the SNP accused of covering up his crimes for many years. A recording of a group meeting where she and her fellow female Nat councillors defended Linden was leaked on social media.

An SNP spokesperson said: "In light of ongoing allegations regarding

Crimes