TWO SNP councillors in Glasgow quit the party on Thursday in a row over a sexual assault allegation.

Councillor Michael Cullen is accused of wasting police resources after allegedly telling officers he had been a victim of sexual assault.

He is also accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by asking the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal to review a decision not to progress his initial allegation.

It is understood the councillor for Garscadden and Scotstounhill denies the charges. He is due in court on August 11. Cullen admitted to party bosses on Thursday that he had been charged and was told he could either resign or be suspended. For his friend and colleague Elspeth Kerr, who wanted the party to stand by Cullen, this was the “last straw”.

Kerr, who represents Drumchapel and Anniesland in the city, announced her resignation on Twitter, saying she could not “stand by a party that allows bullying and corruption of this nature”.

She wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce that I have resigned from the SNP! I have been a member for 30 years. Glasgow City Council ran [sic] by [group leader] Susan Aitken is nothing but a Dictatorship!”

In a statement to The National, Kerr said: “I have resigned the whip because of a number of things. The latest action against a fellow councillor was the last straw for me. That is his story to tell though and not mine.”

Kerr claimed Aitken was running the council “with fear and retribution”.

Kerr said she had previously likened the SNP group in Glasgow City Council to George Orwell’s Animal Farm – “obviously we are all equal but some are more equal than others”.

She added: “I have to commend Nicola Sturgeon, though, with her handling of the current pandemic, she has been the only world-class leader in the UK and I have the utmost respect for her but she, as the party’s leader, needs to sort out the bullying and corruption that is being swept under the carpet so as not to cause waves.”

Kerr said she would remain as a councillor for the rest of her term.

She added: “I have known for a while, though, that I have been on a list of councillors that Susan Aitken wants to deselect, so she can get more people who she can manipulate in as councillors.”

An SNP group spokesperson said: “At a meeting with the SNP whip on Thursday, Councillor Michael Cullen confirmed he is currently facing potential legal action and would step aside from the SNP in the meantime, in line with party protocol.

“Councillor Kerr objected to this course of action and indicated that she would leave the SNP as a result. While we are disappointed by that decision, we would clarify that Councilor Kerr has at no stage made any allegations of bullying within the SNP group.”

Cullen did not respond to requests for a comment.