SCOTLAND’S Constitution Secretary has accused opposition parties of trying to end SNP MP Patrick Grady’s career after the conclusion of a sexual harassment case.
Glasgow North MP Grady was found to have behaved inappropriately towards a member of staff at a party function in 2016 and last week suspended from the Commons for two days. The SNP also withdrew the whip from him until the suspension concluded.
SNP Westminster chief Blackford was recorded last week at a party meeting telling MPs he is “very much looking forward to welcoming Patrick back into the group next week”, and encouraging fellow MPs to offer “as much support as possible”.
The audio, also featuring MP Amy Callaghan, was leaked to the Daily Mail newspaper.
On Sunday morning, Scottish Government minister Angus Robertson backed Blackford over his handling of the case.
Later, he doubled down on the defence of his party colleague during an interview with STV.
“The first thing when discussing issues of inappropriate behaviour by anybody in any work environment is to express sympathy and support for the person that has been subject to that,” the minister told the broadcaster.
“My understanding is that pastoral support has been offered and I would hope that anybody in that circumstance takes that.
“But secondly, the issue at hand is one that has been investigated by a neutral watchdog and has come to the conclusion that the person in question, the MP in question, should be suspended for two days.
“What other political parties are trying to do is escalate this into a career-ending situation.”
Robertson added that Grady’s two-day punishment should not mean his career ends.
“It’s not for a political party to stand as judge and jury in a situation like this. There was an independent watchdog, it assessed the situation,” he said.
“If you’re going to have neutral, independent watchdogs who are responsible for looking at situations like this, when they recommend that somebody apologises, they should, he did.
“When they recognise and suggest that somebody has been involved in something inappropriate and that warrants a two-day suspension, that’s a two-day suspension, not the immolation of their career, it is not the same thing.”
Robertson’s intervention came as Grady’s victim – who was a teenager at the time of the 2016 incident – said his life had been made a “living hell”.
In an interview with the Daily Record, the victim said just one of 45 SNP MPs had contacted him after last week’s ruling.
