SNP 'hypocritical' over sexual misconduct handling

An SNP staffer has accused the party of "blinding hypocrisy" over its handling of a sexual misconduct complaint.

Glasgow North MP Patrick Grady apologised after he was found to have made a sexual advance towards a colleague at a social event in 2016.

The staffer said he was now considering legal action against the party, and that his life was made a living hell after he lodged the complaint.

Nicola Sturgeon said the party would reflect on the complainer's feelings.

He said he did not believe Mr Grady was fit to be a member of parliament.

The staffer, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he was 19 when Mr Grady touched and stroked his neck, hair and back in a pub.

Mr Grady was suspended from Parliament for two days over his actions.

He has also been suspended from the SNP's Westminster group for a week.

In an interview with BBC Scotland, the SNP member of staff said there was "clearly blinding hypocrisy" in how the party had handled the allegations - with other members being either suspended, kicked out or having to resign from political life for things that "arguably weren't as serious as this".

He did not mention any specific examples.

However, Derek Mackay, the former SNP finance secretary, was suspended by the party after he admitted messaging a 16-year-old boy on social media.

And Mark McDonald - who sent an inappropriate text message to a woman - resigned from the SNP in 2018.

The complainer continued: "I've been cut out of my role at work... meanwhile Patrick has been able to continue as an MP unaffected."

"I am still facing silence from the party", he said.

"It's been devastating. My life has been a living hell because of it."

He said it was going to be "difficult to find a route back to work" at the party, adding: "It seems like an impossible situation [to work with Mr Grady again]".

The SNP former chief whip admitted his behaviour and apologised "without reservation" in the House of Commons.

Mr Grady told the chamber he was "profoundly sorry" for his behaviour and "deeply regret[ted]" his actions.

He gave a "firm undertaking that such behaviour on my part will never happen again".

But the staffer said he did not view Mr Grady's apology as genuine, and said it was only given to save his job.

He believes the SNP whip should permanently be removed from Mr Grady.

He also said the party should take full responsibility for how they handled the complaint and their lack of action over it.

He first made his complaint to the party but said he did not get very far, so he instead went through the Westminster watchdog which upheld his complaint.

However, he said he was "devastated at how lenient the sanctions have been" and feared it would scare people off using the process in future.

The watchdog which upheld the complaint said Mr Grady had shown "genuine remorse" and made "efforts to address his behaviour", but recommended he "be suspended for two sitting days, make a public apology in the House of Commons, and a private one to the complainant".

Mr Grady also apologised to the staffer in 2018, when the party tried to deal with it informally.

The staffer suggested that a more appropriate sanction would be to allow constituents to recall MPs, and then for a by-election to be held so voters could decide if an MP was fit to represent them.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said what had happened was wrong.

She said: "A member of staff was subjected to an unwanted sexual advance by an SNP MP. That should not have happened and I'm sorry that it did happen."

She also said the party had a duty to carefully consider and reflect on the complainer's feelings.

It was incumbent on the Westminster group as the employer to make sure the complainer was not disadvantaged at work, she added.