Douglas Ross has been criticised by political rivals for defending the decision to reselect an Angus Tory councillor unmasked as an anti-SNP Twitter troll.
Derek Wann will throw his hat back in the ring for the Scottish Conservatives at the council election in May.
He was exposed by The Courier as the man behind the anonymous (Lady Whistledown) AngusFreeofSNP account.
The profile was fashioned after the nom de plume of a character on the hit Netflix series Bridgerton.
Mr Wann used it to target abuse at local and national politicians, mock Dundee’s tragic drug deaths record and share content described by opposition councillors as “misogynistic and transphobic”.
The former General Election candidate even hid behind the account to attack Douglas Ross’s leadership at least year’s Scottish Parliament election.
Mr Wann was ordered to attend social media training but there were doubts over whether party bosses would allow him to run for re-election.
Derek Wann has been through the disciplinary procedures, which are separate from me as the party leader.
– Douglas Ross
The 49-year-old businessman returned to the campaign trail this week in a bid to win the Arbroath East and Lunan ward he has represented since 2017.
Speaking on a visit to Rosyth on Tuesday, Douglas Ross defended the way his party handled Mr Wann’s online behaviour.
He said: “Derek Wann has been through the disciplinary procedures, which are separate from me as the party leader.
“There is a process that complaints go through. He agreed to take on advice and training and that is why he is a candidate again in Angus.”
Asked if he believes people will still vote for Mr Wann, Mr Ross said: “We will have to wait and see.
“Derek Wann has accepted he did wrong and has undertaken work to rectify what he did, that is why he has been given the opportunity to stand for the Conservatives again.
“We treat all complaints seriously, and they are dealt with by the management board.”
Rivals call for Wann to be expelled
The SNP claimed the failure to expel him undermines Mr Ross.
SNP Angus MSP Graeme Dey said: “Ross should not only be banning Derek Wann from standing, he should be removing him from the Tory party.
“The fact he is allowing this individual to represent the Conservatives in the coming election says everything about the leadership of Douglas Ross and the kind of behaviours that the Tories find acceptable.”
‘Not fit for public office’
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton described Mr Wann as unfit to hold public office.
He said: “The fact he received nothing more than a metaphorical slap on the wrist shows the Conservative party sets a low bar for its candidates.
“The people of Angus deserve better than an angry internet troll as their representative.”
Days after the Lady Whistledown scandal was revealed, Conservative Forfar councillor Braden Davy was caught up in a second social media fiasco.
He operated an anonymous anti-SNP Facebook account which broke election rules by encouraging tactical voting in the Scottish elections.
Mr Davy resigned from the administration. He is not standing for re-election.
How we broke the story: Lady Whistledown and the Tory councillors unmasked as online trolls