A SENIOR Scottish Labour MSP has been suspended by the party after he was charged in connection with possessing ‘indecent child images’.
Colin Smyth – a former general secretary of the party – was arrested on August 5 in Dumfries before being charged by cops and later released.
AlamyScottish Labour minister Colin Smyth speaking in Holyrood[/caption]
The 52-year-old is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Tuesday, 5 August, 2025, officers executed a warrant at a property on Marchfield Avenue, Dumfries.
“A 52-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with possession of indecent images. He is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date.”
Mr Smyth told The Scottish Sun: “These events have come as a shock and this is a deeply stressful time. I am obviously cooperating fully with any inquiries and hope the matter can be resolved quickly.
“I am not able to comment further at this stage, and in the meantime I would ask that my family and friends are given privacy.”
He has since been suspended by Labour, and is now listed as an independent on the Scottish Parliament website.
Social media posts show Mr Smyth continued to campaign after his arrest.
On August 13, the Scottish Pensioners Forum posted about their meeting with Mr Smyth that same day – saying they had a “worthwhile discussion” with the MSP about his members bill for a Commissioner for Older People.
Mr Smyth, 52, also posted on August 12 – a week after his arrest – about a visit to an Action for Children hub in Kelloholm, Dumfriesshire even though the visit took place earlier in July.
And he was also shown in a video posted by Scottish Labour Anas Sawar following the arrest on August 7.
The South of Scotland regional MSP also posted about attending the Dumfries and Lockerbie Agricultural Show on Saturday August 2 and about a meeting with a local LGBT+ group – praising their commitment to making his area “a safe and inclusive place to live”.
Scottish Labour HQ said it was currently not in a position to comment.
Mr Smyth, a married father, lives in the Dumfries area.
He became an MSP in 2016 and has since held several frontbench positions.
He has also been removed from Scottish Labour list of MSPs on their own website.
Under Richard Leonard’s leadership, he served as transport spokesman for the party and became constitution and external affairs spokesman under Mr Sarwar’s leadership.
Before being elected to Holyrood, he was a Dumfries and Galloway councillor.
He was general secretary at Scottish Labour HQ between 2008 and 2012.
Scottish Labour sources said Mr Smyth was suspended after the party was made aware of the police investigation.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The whip has been removed from Colin Smyth MSP, pending an investigation.
“We cannot comment further on this matter while the investigation is ongoing.”
A Crown Office spokesperson said: “A standard prosecution report has been received by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service from Police Scotland in relation to a 52-year-old man.”
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