Blackford directed SNP group to back party’s sex pest MP
Demand revealed in bombshell recording after former chief whip was found guilty of making unwanted sexual advances towards teenager
NATIONALISTS in Westminster have been directed to give their ‘absolute full support’ to a sex pest MP, the Mail can reveal.
A secret recording exposes how the SNP’s leader in the Commons told MPs to rally around shamed Patrick Grady.
In the bombshell tape, leaked to this newspaper, a gathering of the parliamentary group can be heard shouting ‘hear, hear’ at calls for him to be supported.
The SNP is refusing to expel Grady after he was found to have made ‘unwanted sexual advances’ towards a teenager. The former chief whip was accused of touching and stroking the neck, hair and back of a 19-year-old male party worker at a London pub.
A Westminster probe concluded earlier this week that he had significantly breached Parliament’s sexual misconduct policy with the disturbing overtures towards the junior staff member in 2016. Grady, now 42, was handed a two-day suspension from the Commons.
Opponents have called for him to step down from his Glasgow North seat and urged the SNP to expel him from the party for his disgraceful behaviour. But at a meeting of the SNP’s parliamentary group on Tuesday night, it was decided he should only lose the party whip until he has completed the two-day suspension from the Commons.
At least one SNP MP has contacted the victim offering support and expressing concern at the way the complaint has been handled.
A recording obtained by the Mail reveals how Ian Blackford, who leads the party at Westminster, celebrated the choice to allow Grady to remain as a Nationalist
‘We should be rallying together’
MP just 15 minutes after the limited suspension was agreed.
Following the decision, he told the party group that he ‘would encourage’ them to give ‘as much support as possible’ to their shamed colleague.
‘He’s going to face a number of challenges over the short term and so he should have our absolute full support,’ Mr Blackford said. ‘I for one very much look forward to welcoming Patrick back into the group next week. I am sure that everybody here will agree.’
In the tape, the MPs applauded other SNP frontbenchers speaking in support of Grady.
Amy Callaghan, the party’s pensions spokesman, told her fellow MPs: ‘We should be rallying together around him to support him at this time.’ Her comments were greeted with a shout of ‘hear, hear’ and loud clapping.
The SNP leadership was made aware of the allegations against Grady in February 2018, but he remained as chief whip at Westminster for a further three years. He finally stepped down from the post in May 2021 after a formal investigation was launched by the Commons authorities.
The report this week raised concerns about how the matter had been handled by Mr Blackford, who previously promised that the SNP Westminster group would ‘have zero tolerance of unacceptable behaviour’.
After learning of the claims, the SNP Westminster leader summoned the victim to a meeting where Grady made an apology.
The report said: ‘The complainant accepted the apology but made clear in his evidence that the circumstances of the informal resolution were difficult: he felt under pressure to accept the apology and felt “ambushed” by Mr Blackford and Mr Grady, as he had no advance notice of why he was asked to go to Mr Blackford’s office, nor was he told that Mr Grady would be there.
‘The complainant said he felt intimidated into accepting the apology when put in such a situation with two people who had so much influence over his career.’
The victim has condemned the SNP’s ‘atrocious’ decision to only temporarily suspend Grady.
In an interview with the Mail this week, the worker, who is still an SNP staff member at Westminster, raised concerns that he will be ‘retraumatised’ when he has to come face to face with the MP.
On the decision to withdraw the party whip only until Grady’s two-day parliament suspension has been completed, he said: ‘I thought it was atrocious, and it was extremely disappointing given the lines from the party in the past stating that they have a zero tolerance approach to harassment.
‘The decision from the group shows there isn’t zero tolerance, there is a tolerance to a certain degree of what sexual misconduct can be allowed in the party.
‘I am shocked that I am in the position where I am going to have to return to work with this man and work with him as an SNP MP.
It has put me in an impossible situation and it seems to me that the group as a whole, but led by Ian Blackford, are still protecting Patrick Grady, even after the report has vindicated me.’
He added: ‘Ian needs to consider his position as leader of the group, because one of the roles as leader of the group is overall responsibility of staff. As long as that remains a responsibility of the leader, Ian Blackford is not fit to be leader.’
A spokesman for the SNP Westminster group said: ‘Staff and MPs have been offered pastoral support throughout this process. The group has a duty to ensure the personal welfare of all involved, including the impact on mental health and well-being.’
‘The complainant felt intimidated’