Kate Forbes defends Ian Blackford as pressure mounts on SNP Westminster leadership over Grady case

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Kate Forbes has defended Ian Blackford as pressure mounts on the SNP leader at Westminster over his handling of complaints made against a party MP.Forbes, the Holyrood finance secretary and a close ally of Nicola Sturgeon, today admitted "lessons do need to be learned" after Patrick Grady was found by Commons authorities of behaving inappropriately towards a staffer.

The victim, who remains employed by the SNP, has criticised the party for the lack of support offered to him.Grady, the MP for Glasgow North, was handed a two day suspension from the House of Commons.In a statement last night, Blackford said he was "initiating an external review of support available to staff, to sit alongside the independent advice service and independent complaints process".But the victim dismissed the statement as a "publicity stunt".He told the Record: "The Leader of the group should be replaced with someone who will handle these situations in an appropriate manner".Forbes was pressed on the subject during an appearance on BBC Radio Scotland.The MSP said there was "no question" her party needed to learn lessons so there was confidence in its complaints process.But she added a commitment from Blackford to review procedures around the Grady case "is very important".Asked if more support should have been offered to the staffer instead of Grady, Forbes said: "The starting position is victims, those who are putting in complaints, need to have confidence in the system."She added: "Ian Blackford issued a statement last night which recognises that he has a duty of care."He has said all lessons need to be learned - and lessons do need to be learned, I don't think there is any question of that, because if victims don't have confidence in a process,