[size=18pt]Frank McAveety quits over 'attractive girl' remark[/size]

A Labour MSP has resigned from his role as convener of a Holyrood committee after being heard making comments about a woman in the public benches.

A microphone picked up former minister Frank McAveety talking about the "very attractive girl" during a conversation with the committee clerk.

He said he would be quitting his role as committee convener and as Labour's sports spokesman.

Mr McAveety had already apologised for any offence caused by his comments.

In a letter to Scottish Labour Iain Gray, the Glasgow Shettleston MSP said: "I would like to offer my resignation as convener of the petitions committee and my role as Labour's sports spokesperson.

"I came to the decision after reflecting overnight on the reports of comments I made at the committee.

"I would not want the incident to detract in any way from the work of the committee and the substantial contribution I feel I have made as convener."

Mr McAveety, who is married, added: "I am proud of the progress made during my time as convener and that it has become much more accessible to the public.

"I would like to reiterate my apology for any offence which my comments may have caused."

Mr McAveety made his comments about the woman during a gap in committee proceedings, between the consideration of petitions on wind farms and Parkinson's disease.

He was heard to say: "There's a very attractive girl in the second row, dark . . . and dusky. We'll maybe put a wee word out for her."

Mr McAveety went on: "She's very attractive looking, nice, very nice, very slim," before adding: "The heat's getting to me."

The MSP also said: "She looks kinda . . . she's got that Filipino look.

"You know . . . the kind you'd see in a Gauguin painting. There's a wee bit of culture."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/10332299.stm

Resign over what?

It is a crime to find a woman attractive?

Oyinbo has taken this resignation thing too far.

Something he said when the session was not going on. He did not even say anything vulgar, just that she is good looking.

He is even apologising to anyone that maybe offended. WTF!

If you want to be offended by naturality then as far as I am concerned, you can go jump in a river.

I will never resign based on such. I would even laugh it off.

Dont mind the lot. They always seem to be looking for reasons to resign thereby causing instability in govt. Why contest in the first place if you really dont like the position.

Fortunately in Nigeria we dont have this kind of instability. Certainly not when you have risked life and limb including all your saving and IOU to win an election.

This can never happen in my naija.member resign for making romantic comments when ALL our politicians are ashewo themselves.na wao

Seems like Oyinbo dem dey suffer for "over civilization".
I think they are all hypocrites. Resign because i admired God's wonderful creation? This is where i support "seat tight syndrome".

Spyker:

Seems like Oyinbo dem dey suffer for "over civilization".
I think they are all hypocrites. Resign because i admired God's wonderful creation? This is where i support "seat tight syndrome".

thats the right word!!

Funny thing is no one complained, the lady involved hasnt said anything

i can just hear obiaghena of edo laughing

Spyker:

Seems like Oyinbo dem dey suffer for "over civilization".
I think they are all hypocrites. Resign because i admired God's wonderful creation? This is where i support "seat tight syndrome".

they have a set standard and i think they are living up to it just like our politicians have a standard to steal and loot the treasury.

~Bluetooth:

they have a set standard and i think they are living up to it just like our politicians have a standard to steal and loot the treasury.

What standard?

You are not allowed to have natural instincts?

Sagamite:

What standard?

You are not allowed to have natural instincts?

maybe na over-sabi standard be that

no,  .   you are not allowed to b;urt it out especially with We'll maybe put a wee word out for her."

Ok! Let me get this straight. The man RESIGNED of his own, and we are discussing this why? So Mormons who leave office because of similar "sins" are what then? Stupid?

~Bluetooth:

maybe na over-sabi standard be that

Maybe it is different from the one I know.

You mentioned a standard, explain it.

Dis Guy:

no,   .   you are not allowed to b;urt it out especially with We'll maybe put a wee word out for her."

- As an obvious joke. 

- Said when not in session, hence it is at his own private time.

- Even if serious, put in a word in what way? One that does not jeopardises the work to be done? It might even do her good. 

it's complicated.

read the blog attached to that article to get a better understanding.

then look up gauguin on wiki.

even then most people here still wont get it, so why bother. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sagamite:

Maybe it is different from the one I know.

You mentioned a standard, explain it.

you andi know that little things that politicians resign for abroad do not count in nigeria political arena.western politicians tend to protect their integrity and this has become a part and parcel of their democracy.would bankole still be the speaker if thes allegations against him had happened in the US or european countries.
we may oppose his decision to resignation from a nigerian view but i bet you maintaining integrity is a big deal to western politicians

tpiah:

it's complicated.

read the blog attached to that article to get a better understanding.

then look up gauguin on wiki.

even then most people here still wont get it, so why bother. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The article on the blog said:

"To be blunt, it is the job of the convener to ensure that his committee is running smoothly and efficiently. Not to ogle members of the audience.

Still less should he be offering a brief running commentary to the committee clerk, to the effect that the woman in question was "dusky" and "the kind you'd see in a Gauguin painting".

Adding "there's a bit of culture" only made it worse. "

Dusky (which I checked the dictionary for) means she hard a dark skin. Gauguin is a painter that paints a lot of dark people to show their beauty.

What is wrong with the statement? I really can't see.

Because someone is a journalist and has influence through the number of people they can reach through the powerful media does not make them right or necessarily intelligent.

The fool that wrote the blog should explain how ogling a woman has affected his responsibility of running smoothly and efficiently committee. Can he show what part of the guidance book on being a convener said they are not suppose to ogle women if it does not impede performance.

He just wanted to jump on a bandwagon to criticise. The fool demonstrated part of the irresponsible journalism we see, which is an abuse of free press when he insinuated that all the man did was ogle and not perform his function.

~Bluetooth:

you andi know that little things that politicians resign for abroad do not count in nigeria political arena.western politicians tend to protect their integrity and this has become a part and parcel of their democracy.would bankole still be the speaker if thes allegations against him had happened in the US or european countries.
we may oppose his decision to resignation from a nigerian view but i bet you maintaining integrity is a big deal to western politicians

What has this got to do with Nigeria?

I am talking about what he did not warranting resignation. Why bring Nigeria into it and what Bankole has done or has not done?

How does admiring a women affect his integrity? What is the standard? And how does it affect the standard?

@sagamite

the man resigned of his own free will.

let's leave it at that, since nobody forced him.



naija standards do not have to apply everywhere moreso nothing about what he said that hasnt been done to death in the past.

Sagamite:

What has this got to do with Nigeria?

I am talking about what he did not warranting resignation. Why bring Nigeria into it and what Bankole has done or has not done?

How does admiring a women affect his integrity? What is the standard? And how does it affect the standard?

it's not in your hand to judge the system of another land.that is what is applicable there,so leave it like that.

tpiah:

@sagamite

the man resigned of his own free will.

let's leave it at that, since nobody forced him.

naija standards do not have to apply everywhere moreso nothing about what he said that hasnt been done to death in the past.

True!!!

I am not saying I am going to picket his house to get him to rescind his position.  

I am just saying I find it ridiculous and such trend is becoming too common. So I am making it clear if I was the one, I would never resign.

~Bluetooth:

it's not in your hand to judge the system of another land.that is what is applicable there,so leave it like that.

Bluetooth, it is a simple question. You referred to a standard and I ask you to explain that standard, but yet you have not.

This is not part of the standard, it is just some people going overboard with what they do not understand. The system does not require him to resign over such.

i don't see why he resigned but maybe he resigned so he could have more time to put a wee word on her

Sagamite:

True!!!

I am not saying I am going to picket his house to get him to rescind his position. 

I am just saying I find it ridiculous and such trend is becoming too common. So I am making it clear if I was the one, I would never resign.

Bluetooth, it is a simple question. You referred to a standard and I ask you to explain that standard, but yet you have not.

This is not part of the standard, it is just some people going overboard with what they do not understand. The system does not require him to resign over such.

well, different countries have different standards,

clinton was impeached for something similar though not the same setting.

bawomolo:

i don't see why he resigned but maybe he resigned so he could have more time to put a wee word on her 

Abi o. 

tpiah:

well, different countries have different standards,

clinton was impeached for something similar though not the same setting.

This is completely different from Clinton.

There is no basis of comparisons.

Clinton got a hot, sultry, sluppery, sticky, juicy, spluttering BJ in office. This guy just said a woman is good looking.

And, correction, Clinton was not even impeached. And any insinuation of impeachment was because Clinton lied under oath.

If a man can't say 'look at that beautiful woman' without repercussions, what is the world coming to?

debosky:

If a man can't say 'look at that beautiful woman' without repercussions, what is the world coming to?

the guy resigned willingly and was not forced or coerced.

Sagamite:

Abi o. 

This is completely different from Clinton.

There is no basis of comparisons.

Clinton got a hot, sultry, sluppery, sticky, juicy, spluttering BJ in office. This guy just said a woman is good looking.

And, correction, Clinton was not even impeached. And any insinuation of impeachment was because Clinton lied under oath.

we're talking about standards. very thin line.

and if oyibos say they want a different standard from what obtains in other parts of the world, so be it.

we all know in nigeria its expected of the leaders to have little time for their actual duties and more time for engaging in sexually related activities.

Sagamite:

.

Clinton got a hot, sultry, sluppery, sticky, juicy, spluttering BJ in office. This guy just said a woman is good looking.

Dang, Sagamite, that 3D description conjures up a picture, fer sure.    All those sound effects you added leave the impression that you were actually present during that infamous non-sexual encounter between Bill and Monica, dressed in a white lab coat and furiously jotting down notes of your observations as you craned your neck over Bill's shoulder to get a better view of events transpiring under the Oval Office Desk.

^^^ Sagamite aka "Dutty talker"

@ Poster,

That is not the full story. he also made racist comments about tthe girl. Let me see if i can get to the article and paste it here.

A LEERING MSP was yesterday caught ogling a sexy Holyrood visitor - after leaving his microphone on.
Frisky Frank McAveety, 47, said the "very attractive" girl he spotted in the public gallery looked "dark and dusky".

And he whispered to a colleague: "The heat's getting to me. She's got that Filipino look. The kind you'd see in a Gauguin painting."

The embarrassing blunder by the member for Glasgow Shettleston came as he chaired the parliament's Public Petitions Committee.



Last night a rival MSP slammed his comments as sexist, sleazy and RACIST - and told him he should think about resigning.

Ironically, the committee sitting had started with Mr McAveety telling the audience to turn off their mobile phones.

But he forgot to mute his own microphone during a break.

And in footage shown live online, he could be heard talking about the woman, who was sitting in the second row of the gallery.

The married dad of two - who is also co-convener of Holyrood's cross-party group on RACIAL EQUALITY - leered that he would "maybe put a wee word out for her".

Furious Nats MSP Sandra White said: "I am shocked and disgusted at these remarks.


"The fact they were uttered by the convener of a committee which was considering extremely important and sensitive issues makes it even more sickening.

"His stupid comments were at best sexist and sleazy - and at worst sexist, sleazy and racist. He must consider his position in parliament."

In 2004, Mr McAveety landed in bother after claiming he was late for a Holyrood questions session because he'd been delayed at a book awards ceremony.

But he was later forced to apologise for "misleading" MSPs after it emerged he'd been eating a PIE and beans in the Parly canteen.



Last night the red-faced former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport grovelled over his mistake.

A spokesman said: "Mr McAveety is very sorry for any offence he may have caused."

French artist Paul Gauguin was famous for painting semi-naked African and Polynesian women. He died of syphilis in 1903, aged 54.

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/article3016088.ece#ixzz0r3fKChvE

^^^What is racist about what he said?

That she is a fine dark woman?

What is sexist about what he said?

That due to her fineness, he would like to be with her? Wanting to be with a woman you are attracted to is now a sexist statement?

What the hell is that stewpid Sandra saying? Silly feminist shitheads.

Is she telling me she would be calling for the resignation of a woman that commented on the good looks of a guy in the audience and joked how he is free to take her.

~Bluetooth:

the guy resigned willingly and was not forced or coerced.

That was case closed for me too!!! Not sure why the man CANNOT resign of his own agian!