MSP quits over schoolgirl leer

LABOUR MSP Frank McAveety has quit as convener of the Scottish Parliament's petitions committee after it emerged the female member of the public he had been eyeing up was a schoolgirl on work experience.

A microphone picked up Mr McAveety telling an official: "There's a very attractive girl in the second row: dark and dusky. I'll maybe have to put a wee word out for her. She's very attractive-looking. Nice, very nice."

It later emerged the girl in question was on work experience with the Green MSPs. A source today confirmed she was "15 or 16".

Mr McAveety resigned, saying he did not want the incident to detract from the committee's work.