Shamed SNP politician Derek Mackay has finally quit the party in which he was elected to represent Renfrewshire North and West.
He has resigned ahead of May’s Holyrood elections after more than a year of snubbing the parliament and trousering his meaty pay packet.
Scotland’s former finance secretary leaves the SNP following his suspension from membership last February.
The party say his quitting means disciplinary action - which never took place - will be dropped.
In his resignation letter, Mackay said: “I write to confirm I am not seeking SNP membership and continue to focus on the recovery of my mental health and serving my constituents.”
His glittering parliamentary career came crashing down after it emerged he’d been flooding a 16-year-old boy with flattering messages for months, including that he was “cute.”
He had been finance secretary at the time, but despite quitting his cabinet position he continued pocketing his salary and expenses to the tune of more than £140,000.
When the current parliament dissolves the 43-year-old will not be able to claim any more cash.
His contact with the lad was not criminal, but Mackay himself apologised and admitted he had behaved “foolishly”.
An SNP spokesman said yesterday: “Derek Mackay has resigned his membership of the SNP, bringing the matter to a close.
“As was widely reported last year, Mr Mackay was receiving mental health support, and as a result disciplinary action was paused.
“We wish him well for his recovery.”
The member for Renfrewshire North and West had not showed his face inside Holyrood since the scandal erupted.
