I will go to the cops over SNP sex pest ordeal
chair of SYP is accused of harassing several men over years
The SNP could face a second police investigation after allegations of sexual abuse by a council boss were ignored by party headquarters.
Councillor Cammie McManus said his complaints against shamed ex- North Lanarkshire Council leader Jordan Linden have never been addressed and he has little option but to now go to police.
Cammie, who has waived his anonymity, has resigned from the SNP after accusations of bringing the party into disrepute.
He said: “The SNP has put my mental health at stake. I’ve been put on antidepressants due to the situation.
“I’ve suffered continuous panic attacks because I don’t know what the next email or phone call is going to be about.
“All they want is to protect a sex pest rather than do the right thing.”
The SNP is at the centre of a police probe into the party’s finances.
First Minister Humza Yousaf is facing calls for reform on sexual assault complaints after accusations officials covered up or fai led to properly investigate cases including that of SNP MP Patrick Grady.
Linden, 29, quit the party in February after Cammie’s complaint about him was s revealed by the Sunday Mail.
Cammie, 25, told of enduring years of harassment by Linden which started in n 2016 when they were both on an SNP Youth trip to Barcelona.
He said Linden climbed into his bed, groped and tried to kiss him.
He is one of several men – including a teenage boy – who allege they have been sexually assaulted and harassed by Linden.
The issue continued when they were e both made SNP councillors in North h Lanarkshire – a role that led to Linden being promoted to role of group leader.
He was among a group of six councillors who were suspended last week for bringing the party into disrepute. Another two SNP colleagues have been expelled.
Cammie said: “Group leader Tracey Carragher is ignoring the sexual allegations about Jordan Linden. She accused one counci l lor of speaking aggressively to her at a meeting and if you look at other complaints about two others they are word for word similar.
“They’re claiming we’ve brought the party into disrepute but why it is us who have brought the party into disrepute when there are people in the party who are openly protect ing a sex pest? It’s the continued
It’s the of protection their friend rather than right doing the thing
protection of their friend rather than doing the right thing.”
The issue of Linden has caused a split in the local party after he quit as council chief last July amid revelations in the Sunday Mail he’d been accused of groping a young man at a party in Dundee in 2019.
SNP HQ of f icials – including compliance officer Ian McCann – were said to be aware of the complaint but Linden was allowed to be promoted and had ambitions to become an MP.
The split in North Lanarkshire saw Labour take control of the council.
Cammie said: “The SNP group in North Lanarkshire have lost 10 members in a year. It’s a mess under Tracey’s leadership and HQ are more than happy to allow her to lead.
“In the resignation email I got from national secretary Lorna Finn, she’s more than happy to sit back and allow this to be dealt with by the council group. They are aware of the situation in North Lanarkshire but not doing anything about it. I’ve resigned from the party but they didn’t want me to because of how all this looks. I know if they could convince me to stay they would try to spin the media to say it’s all just disgruntled members.”
Cammie claims there are other men allegedly abused by Linden who have not yet come forward. He said: “He’s continuing his life while mysel f and others are feeling the injuries from the situation with him.
“It’s not as if it’s just one complaint or one individual – there are multiple stories in the media and I know at least another two victims not willing to come forward for personal reasons. There’s been claims for years, which party MPs and MSPs and higher up have been aware of. But they have done nothing about it. Does Jordan know where skeletons are buried or do they not care?”
Cammie said he’s taking a break before his next step.
He said: “This is all a lot to process so I’m going to take a couple of weeks before I do anything.The options I’ve got are go to the police or just drop it. Pol ice gett ing involved and having to relive the experience would be a lot. It’s quite traumatic.”
Scottish Labour business manager Martin Whitfield said: “Serious allegations like this must be investigated and not swept under the rug.”
Scottish Lib Dem deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain MP said: “Sexual harassment allegations must be handled with the utmost care and sensitivity, but that seems to be something the SNP struggles with.”
In 2017 Linden was forced to stand aside as a councillor while police probed claims of sexual harassment at the Scottish Youth Parliament. Officers later said they had established no criminality.
Linden, an ex-SYP chair, said the claims were false, that he had been cleared of wrongdoing in an internal probe and said those making claims are “spreading lies”.
Carragher was approached for comment. Linden said: “I have no comment to make, I’ve nothing to say.”
The SNP said: “The allegations relate to an individual who is no longer an SNP member. The group leader disputes any suggestion she ignored an allegation by an individual. The matter has been raised with the party and will be subject to investigation. If there is any allegation of a criminal nature, then that must be made to the police rather than the party.”