SNP handling of allegations fails everyone

They are SNP politicians mired in complaints about sexual misconduct.

In the cases of Mackay and McDonald, top ministerial jobs were quit as the allegations emerged.

Salmond’s high-profile case saw him found not guilty of 12 charges in court and not proven on a 13th, while a who-knew-whatand-when scandal almost brought down First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Grady was punished by Westminster officials, while a conclusion that Gibson had “propositioned” a staff member was put aside after an appeal.

Added to that list now is the name Jordan Linden.

He’s a senior SNP councillor who is the leader of North Lanarkshire Council – a flagship and important role.

We reveal today how he’s accused of making unwanted sexual advances to a man at a party in 2019.

The common theme running through this list of names is that victims – alleged or otherwise – were unhappy at how the SNP dealt with complaints.

In the case of Grady, his victim watched as he was promoted to chief whip in the SNP’s Westminster group.

It’s a position of great power within the party group, while the victim was left wondering if his complaint – from 2016 – had just been swept under the carpet.

Only when Westminster’s parliamentary complaints body began their probe in 2021, was he suspended from Parliament for two days as punishment.

Even then, shameful SNP colleagues rallied round him.

And now there’s Linden – promoted to a £ 45,000 council role in May this year while his alleged victim looks on, wondering what’s happened to the unresolved 2019 complaint.

It has been said before – but Scotland’s most powerful political force need to address how they handle allegations of sexual misconduct.

Their inability to effectively deal with them is failing everyone involved.