Ian Blackford called on to quit over sex pest SNP MP Patrick Grady scandal

dailyrecord.co.uk:

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has been urged to quit after a secret recording showed him offering “absolute full support” to a sex pest colleague.

He spoke up for shamed Patrick Grady, who was found to have made unwanted sexual advances to a 19 year old. Labour MSP Neil Bibby said: "There is no place in politics for men who turn a blind eye to abuse because it has been perpetrated by a friend."Mr Blackford is leader of the UK's third party and close ally of the First Minister, he must stand aside.” Westminster authorities last week ruled that Grady, the SNP MP for Glasgow North, had touched and stroked his victim’s hair, back and neck in a London pub in 2016.

Grady, who used to be the SNP Chief Whip, apologised and was suspended from the Commons for 48 hours - a sanction blasted by the victim.The man later told the Record that only one of 45 SNP MPs had been in touch with after him after the sexual misconduct ruling.The Daily Mail and the Sun over the weekend reported details of an SNP group meeting that discussed the Grady case.The party also agreed to a suspension that would expire at the end of the Commons ban.Blackford can be heard saying on the audio: “He’s [Grady] 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.”Amy Callaghan, the party’s pensions spokesman, told her fellow MPs: “We should be rallying together around him to support him at this time.”These comments were met with a shout of “hear, hear” and loud clapping.Our front page exclusive in March last year told of how a young SNP staffer at Westminster had made complaints