Nats refuse to reveal plans to tackle sex harassment
The SNP has approved plans to tackle sexual harassment complaints in the party but won’t reveal the details.
Officials said their ruling body approved revised policies on handling reports of bullying and sex attacks last August.
But when the Sunday Mail asked for more details about the measures, a spokesman said there was not time to do so before the new party leader was appointed.
Party activists who have been calling for improvements to internal policies said they were unaware of new arrangements and had heard nothing about it from officials.
Outgoing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged to reform the procedures after the party bungled a complaint against shamed sex pest MP Patrick Grady and another MP by a staff member.
We also revealed the SNP were warned about disgraced former North Lanarkshire Council leader Jordan Linden years before he stepped down after complaints alleging sexual harassment and abuse.
One SNP source said they knew nothing about any new policy.
He said “It’s the first I’ve heard of any new plans, nobody has been told about them.
“It seems pointless to have a new policy if nobody knows what it is and people are still having to channel their complaints in the same way they were before.”
A second SNP source said that any decisions made on the policies were not detailed.
They added: “What was agreed was high level and there is still implementation to be done. There is no point in having a policy none of us are aware of to follow. We’re planning to meet the next first minister to make sure they’re aware of the urgency of this.”
Meanwhile, the party’s national secretary has ordered a probe into claims against North Lanarkshire SNP group leader Tracy Carragher.
Eight councillors claimed she’d ignored a complaint of sexual harassment against Linden last year.
Carragher denied all prior knowledge of the latest complaint against Linden, made by an SNP councillor, which led to his resignation two weeks ago.
When asked for the policy, an SNP spokesman said: “We don’t have capacity as we are gearing up for the leadership announcement.”
Minutes of a National Executive Committee meeting on August 20, 2022, state: “The NEC agreed revised policies in relation to: bullying and harassment and sexual harassment.”
It seems pointless to have a new policy if no one knows what it is