IAN MP Blackford apologized for Patrick Grady’s case of sexual harassment after a meeting in the City Hall with his group of MPs.
In an attempt to outline the saga, the Westminster SNP leader said he was “deeply” sorry that a member of the party’s team had been “subjected to inappropriate behavior”.
The SNP group in Westminster has been in turmoil since parliamentary authorities released a report last Tuesday on Mr Grady’s behavior with her MEPs, divided over how the crisis is being handled.
Over the weekend, the crisis deepened when a secret Black leak report leaked to the press urging SNP lawmakers to support their disgraced counterpart. In a further turn, the party’s main whip, Owen Thompson, threatened to prosecute anyone who recorded and disseminated the meeting.
Mr Blackford’s apology was given tonight after a brief meeting with MEPs and amid speculation that his handling of the situation has raised questions among the group as to whether he should continue to play the role of leader.
“As the leader of SNP Westminster, I have a responsibility to take care of all our employees. I therefore deeply regret that a staff member was subjected to inappropriate behavior. This was completely unacceptable and should never have happened. I’m sorry he did that, “he said.
“Staff must have full confidence that the group takes complaints seriously. In this case, the independent complaints and grievance scheme investigates what happened. We respect and accept this independent process.”
He added: “More than that, however, employees have the right to feel fully supported when a complaint is lodged. I am sorry that the complainant does not think that this is the case.
“The way in which this situation has taken place in the last few days, including recordings from the parliamentary group, has caused stress to the complainant, among others, and I regret that.
“We will look at all the lessons that need to be learned to make sure employees have full confidence that they will get the support they need. As such, I begin an external review of the support available to staff to sit alongside the Independent Advisory Service and the Independent Complaints Process.
“Filing complaints of this nature is never easy and I am determined for the staff to have the necessary support.”
Mr Blackford will appear in public for the first time tomorrow since the secret recording surfaced when he questioned Boris Johnson in the Prime Minister’s Questions.
It is unclear whether his apology will be enough to stop speculation about his leadership in the SNP’s Westminster group.
Tonight, Scottish Conservatives have again called on Mr Blackford to step down.
Party Chairman Craig Hoy MSP said: “It’s amazing that Ian Blackford took so long to realize he had to apologize.
“SNP leader Westminster has shown appalling judgment and is only now apologizing for his desperate attempt to save his own skin.
“His trust is in shambles and he must leave so that no victim will ever be deceived so cruelly again.
Last night, an SNP MP issued a long written statement apologizing after agreeing with Mr Blackford, after urging colleagues to “gather” around Mr Grady. Earlier yesterday, another SNP MP criticized the party’s complaints and disciplinary proceedings.
The head of the SNP Westminster addressed his deputies at 18:00 in room 21 of the Municipal Commission with an apology issued by Mr Blackford through the party’s press office at 18:39.
An insider told the Herald earlier this morning: “The mood has been unpleasant for months, really years. It’s a vicious environment.”
The victim of Mr Grady, a SNP staff member who was 19 at the time of the 2016 incident, raised the possibility of a lawsuit against the party yesterday.
Last week, he said he was not supported and was left isolated by members of the Westminster Group.
At the same meeting last week, SNP MP Amy Callaghan and colleague Marion Fellows also threw their weight behind Mr Grady.
Ms Callahan told the group: “I think we need to unite together for this campaign, but also, regardless of our position on Patrick’s situation, we need to unite around him to support him at this time.
“I don’t think we are very good as a country in supporting each other and I think we need to make sure that he feels supported at the moment, so if we can all contact him or do it if you feel able to probably do that. ”
She apologized in a statement posted on Twitter late yesterday afternoon.
“This can and should only begin with a sincere apology to anyone – especially survivors of harassment – who has been injured or activated as a result of this week,” she wrote.
“Although I cannot forgive myself for how inappropriate it was for me to formulate my contribution in this way, I owe an explanation to everyone, not least the survivors and my constituents.”
“I am sorry and in the end I take full responsibility for my words, no matter how callous, poorly worded and inappropriate.
“I take full responsibility for the injury and frustration I caused, not least to those directly affected by sexual misconduct in this case.
“Survivors must be supported. I had to anticipate my comments and repeat this throughout my contribution. I believed that I was in a situation where my support for the survivors was taken for granted.
“I was wrong. That’s not good enough. My comments without this context absolutely justify the disorder they have. I’m really sorry.
“As a party, we are clearly failing to support the complainants.
Mr Blackford is heard saying in the leak: “I think most of you know how I feel about Patrick and I would encourage the group to give as much support as possible.
“And let’s look forward to next week, he will face a number of challenges in the short term and he has our full support. On the one hand, I look forward to seeing Patrick back in the band next week.
SNP MP Joanna Cherry yesterday criticized the party’s complaints system. The party’s former spokeswoman for justice and home affairs came after members of the group were threatened with prosecution by its chief whip for recording and ending the meeting.
“I was not at the SNP Westminster group meeting last week. I do not approve the hidden record or information leak. However, the SNP has had significant problems with the way it handles complaints for some time, ”she tweeted.
“My party must consider the contrast between the treatment of the various ‘offenders’ and reconsider our arrangements for the pastoral care of the applicants.”
In his report, the parliamentary oversight body, the Independent Expert Group, said that Mr Grady had “made sexual progress towards the complainant”, which was “manifestly sexual in intent and manner and manifestly inappropriate”.
He apologized to the municipality for his behavior and was removed by parliamentary authorities for two days. The SNP withdrew his party whip for the same period.
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