FIRST Minister Alex Salmond has reiterated the SNP's zero tolerance policy regarding violence against women after it was revealed that MSP Bill Walker had been suspended from the party over allegations of domestic abuse.

The claims, which were revealed in the Sunday Herald, were made regarding the Dunfermline MSP's three former wives. They included allegations of punching, pushing with force and attacking his third wife with a metal coat hanger.

In response to the allegations, the SNP confirmed it had suspended Mr Walker pending a full investigation. He has also been suspended from his role as a Fife councillor.

Mr Salmond said: "The SNP's rules are very clear, and provide for decisive but fair action. The correct action has been taken by the national secretary, in consultation with me as party leader, of suspending Bill Walker from the SNP and the parliamentary group pending a full investigation of the facts and circumstances.

"The SNP's strongly held position is zero tolerance of violence against women. The information was not reported in Mr Walker's candidate process as it should have been, and the right course of action has been taken."

Mr Walker, who is married for a fourth time, is alleged to have hit his three former wives as well as a teenage step daughter.

Domestic violence charities welcomed the news that Mr Walker had been suspended.

Jenny Kemp, co-ordinator at Zero Tolerance, a charity that tackles the causes of violence against women, said: "We definitely welcome the suspension of Bill Walker, the immediate repudiation of his behaviour and the reiteration of the zero- tolerance stance from the SNP."

Ms Kemp also said that it was disappointing that the allegations had stayed hidden for so long.

She continued: "The biggest issue is that it did lie undiscovered for so long – it underlines that we do in Scotland still have that culture that this subject is just a private family matter that shouldn't be spoken about. It happened in three different relationships and there must have been people who knew about it. The other question is how did this man get through the SNP party screening process."

A Labour Party spokesman said revelations were "really harrowing stories, but sadly ones that will be all too familiar to the thousands of women abused and assaulted in their homes across Scotland".

He added: "We all have a responsibility to challenge, speak against, and stop violence against women. Domestic violence is a despicable form abuse and a profound betrayal of trust.

"There is never any possible excuse to assault partners and children and we must all stand against such behaviour."

Last month the Fife MSP welcomed the news that a local women's aid charity had been given a £400,000 lottery grant.

At the time he said: "They do brilliant work, and it's great to see significant funding supporting their service, enabling them to keep aiding abused women in Dunfermline and Fife."

Yesterday Mr Walker's office was unavailable for comment. In the Sunday Herald he said: "There are two sides to every story and I dispute almost entirely all the allegations that have been made against me."

He continued: "My support for organisations assisting women stems from my recognition of the difficulties in some marriages and relationships."