RICHARD Leonard has defended bringing Alex Rowley back into his front bench team, less than a year after the Fife MSP was suspended from the party.

The decision has infuriated some Labour members.

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Rowley resigned as Deputy Leader last November and was suspended from the party after Labour bosses launched a probe into allegations he harassed and stalked a former partner.

The woman who said Rowley had sent her abusive messages walked away from the complaints process over fears Labour were going to share her personal details with the Fife MSP.

Labour abandoned their inquiry into the complaint, and lifted the MSP’s suspension.

The National:

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard

On Thursday night Leonard told ITV Border that he’d brought Rowley back because of his “extremely high reputation”.

“The case against Alex was never prosecuted because there was a failure to engage with the process by the person who made the complaint, so the case was discharged.

"Alex is back because he’s somebody who’s got an extremely high reputation amongst people in local government, and that is an important area for us to lead.

"And I want to see Alex leading in local government putting across a clear Labour alternative to the SNP.”

The woman claimed she’d endured three years of torment before making a formal complaint to Police Scotland in 2014.

But she says Labour would only investigate if she agreed to let Rowley and his legal team read her full detailed statement.

And the former journalist insists she wasn’t offered the opportunity to edit it to stop Rowley seeing some of her personal information.

She explained: “I was very candid and open in my complaint.”

After Labour dismissed the complaint, the woman, who did not want to be named, told The Sun on Sunday: “As far as I’m concerned it doesn’t send a good message about how seriously Labour takes harassment claims. It leaves the door wide open.

The National:

Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale

“Am I surprised? No, I’m disappointed. It’s jobs for the boys. Kezia Dugdale had more disciplinary action levied against her for going into the jungle for charity.

“I’ve never met her but she’s been treated exceedingly shabbily compared to the allegations against him.”

In a statement, at the time, Rowley said: “I am pleased the panel has discharged the case which I referred to them, but I am disappointed that they were unable fully to investigate — and I to have the opportunity to answer — the allegations, which relate to the acrimonious end to a relationship nearly five years ago.”

There was support for Rowley from the relatively recently established Scottish Labour Women’s Movement.

A spokeswoman said: “We are aware that in 2017 there was a complaint made against Alex Rowley by a former partner which was investigated by the Police.

"Mr Rowley referred himself to the Scottish Labour Party for investigation. The Police found no evidence of wrongdoing and the complainant did not engage with the Scottish Labour Party investigation.

“In these circumstances, we are satisfied that Scottish Labour made all reasonable endeavours to determine the facts and no further action was required.

"On this basis, we see no reason why Alex Rowley should be precluded from inclusion in the Shadow Cabinet.”

But just two months ago, the organisation had tweeted about the allegations of sexual harassment against Alex Salmond.

They said: “First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has rightly responded to the allegations by saying that sexism and sexual harassment has no place in any party. We stand in solidarity across party lines with any woman who reports such harassment and every person taking these reports seriously and working to ensure all necessary procedures are in place.

“At our launch event on July 29 we asked women to tell us their demands for change in our society. ‘To be believed’ and ‘women supporting women’ stood out for us. These demands have been at the front of our thoughts over the past few days.”

The National:

Furious: Labour councillor Eva Murray

Labour Councillor Eva Murray was furious at the organisation. She tweeted: “I’m supposedly on the steering committee of SLWM. I wasn’t consulted on this statement.

“In a time of #MeToo & more timely the Kavanaugh confirmation, we are absolutely sending the wrong message. Rowley should not have been allowed back into the Shadow Cabinet. #BelieveVictims”

Leonard’s reshuffle has left Labour in turmoil.

He sacked Anas Sarwar as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health. The former dentist said he heard about being removed from his post while taking part in a parliamentary debate.

His sacking means there are no members of ethnic minority communities in the party’s top team north of the Border.

The development prompted the Scottish Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf to raise fresh questions about alleged racism, drawing attention to earlier claims over whether Asian party members had been denied votes in last year’s leadership contest.

Shadow economy secretary Jackie Baillie was the second victim of the reshuffle.