The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Bullying claims ‘a smear’: Blackford
Ian Blackford has branded claims he bullied an SNP worker a “smear campaign”, as pressure grows on him to resign as Westminster leader.
The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, is facing allegations he bullied an employee who was working for the party at the House of Commons.
The SNP worker has made an official complaint to Westminster officials who are investigating the claims, according to the Mail on Sunday.
The allegations pile further pressure on Mr Blackford who is already facing criticism over his handling of a sexual harassment complaint against MP Patrick Grady.
When asked about the fresh claims yesterday, Mr Blackford pointed to a statement issued by a party spokesperson which robustly denies the claims against him.
“This is a smear campaign,” Mr Blackford added.
A spokesman for the MP said: “Mr Blackford is adamant that these outrageous claims are entirely without foundation.
“The preliminary stage of any Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) inquiry is supposed to proceed in complete confidence so, quite rightly, Ian has absolutely no knowledge of any such complaint being made.
“However, he is absolutely clear that there are no credible grounds whatsoever for such a complaint and, if an inquiry should proceed, he will engage fully to clear his name.
“If the confidentiality of the complaints process had been breached, it suggests a deliberate but crude attempt at a political smear to generate negative headlines.
“Mr Blackford will take as robust action as necessary to protect his reputation,” the spokesman added.
The Mail on Sunday reported that the alleged ‘bullying’ incidents took place over a ‘number of months’.
It is understood the party worker wanted to report Mr Blackford following the outcome of the probe into Mr Grady, MP for North Glasgow.
But a deadline set in April by the ICGS for considering cases more than one year old meant he had to lodge the complaint earlier.
Mr Blackford has become engulfed in a storm over his handling of a sexual harassment complaint made against Mr Grady.
It comes as the Met Police confirmed it is currently investigating an allegation of sexual assault against Mr Grady.
It is understood the complaint was made by a third party.
An SNP spokesman said Mr Grady is “stepping away from his party membership while the police inquiry continues”.
It means he will not be a SNP MP during this time and will instead sit as an independent.
A parliamentary probe saw Mr Grady suspended from Westminster for two days after he was found to have acted inappropriately towards a SNP staff member.
Mr Grady, the SNP’s former chief whip, said he was “profoundly sorry” after the independent panel’s investigation.
Mr Blackford had urged Mr Grady to consider his position after criticism of the party’s handling of the complaint.
That came after Mr Blackford was heard in a leaked recording telling SNP MPs to rally around Mr Grady, saying he looked forward to “welcoming Patrick back” following his two-day suspension.
Nicola Sturgeon condemned the recording as “utterly unacceptable”.
A Met Police spokeswoman said: “On Wednesday June 22 police received an allegation of sexual assault that is said to have taken place in October 2016 at a commercial premises in Folgate Street, E1.
“The report was submitted online by a third party.
“Officers will now be making inquiries, including contacting the alleged victim, in order to assess what further action is required.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex ColeHamilton has called on Mr Blackford to resign over the handling of the probe into Mr Grady.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “At no point has Ian Blackford showed an ounce of leadership.
“He voiced absolute full support for Patrick Grady over the victim, allowed SNP whips to act menacingly and resorted to intimidation. Ian Blackford must go.”
The Patrick Grady scandal raises a raft of troubling questions that should give any SNP supporter cause for concern. The Glasgow North MP yesterday resigned his party membership after the police launched an investigation into sexual harassment allegations.
Why on earth he was still a member of the SNP up until that point is anybody’s guess.
Grady was suspended from Westminster for two days earlier this month after a parliamentary inquiry found he had acted inappropriately towards a male SNP staff member.
The party had known of the claims for years and done nothing.
That was bad enough, but the decision to stand by him even after the results of the Westminster probe were known was inexplicable.
Under the leadership of Nicola Sturgeon, the nationalists have been beset with controversy over their handling of sexual harassment and bullying allegations.
The criminal trial of former leader Alex Salmond – at which he was acquitted of all charges – revealed several allegations from civil servants were swept under the carpet during his time in government.
Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly expressed regret over that unsavoury episode and promised to make the SNP a zero-tolerance environment for harassment. Recent events have shown those to be hollow words.
Salmond aside, Grady is the third male SNP politician whose behaviour has been found to have fallen short in recent years.
Former Aberdeen Donside MSP Mark McDonald was sanctioned by the Scottish Parliament after sending an “inappropriate” text message to a woman, while exfinance secretary Derek Mackay disappeared from public life after a tabloid exposed a series of messages he sent to an underage boy.
In both of those cases the culprits were cut adrift from the SNP once the allegations emerged. Their careers were effectively ended by their misjudgments.
In contrast, the SNP did everything in its power to protect Grady.
There is a pervading sense that political calculations have shaped the response from a party whose prolonged period in power has made it arrogant and out of touch.