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The victim of sex pest SNP MP Patrick Grady has spoken of his horror at the decision to appoint the party’s former Westminster leader Ian Blackford to the Standards Committee in the Commons.
The appointment means that Mr Blackford will be responsible with other members of the committee chaired by Labour’s Sir Chris Bryant to decide whether MPs have broken the rules and failed to meet the standards of public life.
But while he was Westminster leader of the SNP it was revealed that Mr Blackford had covered up for Patrick Grady and ordered colleagues to support him when he was being investigated for sexual assault of a staff member.
Grady, who was the party’s chief whip, was eventually suspended for two days for his behaviour although police action was taken.
The victim instead was forced out of his job.
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Grady’s victim was 19 at the time he pursued him but instead of supporting the young employee, Mr Blackford demanded the loyalty of the SNP group to the abusive Glasgow North MP.
In a recording of a group meeting in June 2022, Mr Blackford said: “He [Grady]’s going to face a number of challenges over the short term and so he should have our absolute full support.
“I for one very much look forward to welcoming Patrick back into the group next week. I am sure that everybody here will agree.”
According to SNP sources, the fallout from the incident is one of the reasons Mr Blackford eventually quit as SNP leader and has announced he will stand down as an MP at the next election.
But his appointment to the Standards Committee has brought back traumatic memories to Grady’s victim.
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Grady’s victim said: “Ian Blackford’s rallying call for party unity in support of Patrick Grady was a slap on the wrist for harassers and a slap in the face for survivors.
“The fact that Ian Blackford turned a blind eye to Patrick Grady’s sexual harassment of me when I was a teenager, and to then bully me out of my job, is a clear contradiction of the committee’s purpose.
“Blackford’s appointment demonstrates a disregard for the trauma we survivors have to endure and sends a dangerous message that victims’ voices will be silenced and ignored not only in Westminster, but in wider public life.”
An SNP MP has also told Express.co.uk that there is “some unhappiness” about the appointment.
Meanwhile, Labour’s shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said it was inappropriate.
Mr Murray said: “The standards and privileges committtees, as we have seen in recent months, does a critical job in upholding standards in public life that underpin our democracy.
“I’m not sure it’s appropriate for someone to have dealt so poorly with issues in his own party whilst he was leader of the SNP.”
The appointment was confirmed in a press release by the Cabinet Office but was made after he was put forward by the SNP as their member.
Mr Blackford replaces SNP MP Alan Dorrans on the committee.
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