Ian Blackford was pressured about the future of SNP MP Patrick Grady, who was removed after being found guilty of sexual misconduct.
SNP leader Westminster spoke to STV News on Thursday – the first time he addressed the media on the issue after an audio recording leaked urging lawmakers to support Grady.
Grady was removed from parliament after it was found that he had unwanted sexual contact with a 19-year-old party official in 2016.
Blackford faced calls to resign after an audio recording of a meeting of the Westminster group of the SNP, where he could be heard telling MPs that Grady would need their “full support”.
He told STV News that “there must be a proper procedure” after Grady was ordered to be removed for two days.
“The simple fact is that in the trial, Patrick Grady was found guilty of misconduct and was removed from parliament for two days,” he said.
Asked if it was permissible for a sex pest to be a member of parliament, he said: “Patrick Grady was found guilty and led to his removal from parliament in two days.”
He added: “There must be due process in all this and Patrick Grady has been found guilty in this process and has been considered and removed by Parliament.
Blackford was asked why he didn’t kick Grady out of the party.
He replied: “Well, because at the end of the day, discipline in the SNP happens in several ways.
“This is happening through actions taken by the SNP group, they may be actions taken by the SNP headquarters.
“And the decision, which was made on a proportional basis, given the two-day suspension by parliament that Patrick Grady would be suspended for a week.
“Now Patrick Grady needs to consider his behavior and where he’s going from here.”
Blackford was asked what he had done wrong in handling the grievance process.
“I don’t think I did anything wrong in the process,” he said.
“I am the leader of the SNP and I have a responsibility to the staff. Of course, I do not participate in the disciplinary process, in the independent process that takes place.
“But I have to make sure that every applicant, in this case, in any case, receives full support.
“I believe I did, but, of course, as the leader of the Westminster SNP, I will see what lessons need to be learned from this.”
Speaking to the prime minister’s questions earlier Thursday, Nicola Sturgeon said from what she had heard, the recording suggested that there was more concern for the perpetrator than for the victim.
And the SNP leader said this was “completely unacceptable” because she said she would personally apologize to the complainant.
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