SNP MP Patrick Grady quits as chief whip after being accused of groping two men at a Christmas party

Patrick Grady stepped down as the SNP‘s chief whip last night as the nationalists launched an investigation into claims he groped two men at a Christmas party.

In the latest sexual harassment case to embroil the ruling party at Holyrood, thee party is also facing allegations that it ‘protected’ the Glasgow North MP after allegations about his conduct were made.

Letters obtained by the Herald newspaper detail concerns about Mr Grady’s behaviour at the SNP Christmas party on December 15, at the Phoenix Artist Club in London’s West End. It is alleged Mr Grady groped two male researchers at the cabaret establishment.

It is reported that letters of complaint were passed to the SNP’s compliance unit in 2017 and 2018, saying ‘staff are scared to come forward because he is protected by the party’. 

Separately, he has been accuse of sexually harassing a then 19-year-old heterosexual man in The Water Poet pub in Spitalfields in East London.

The Daily Record reported that the complainant in the Water Poet case had originally decided not to report it. 

But after a third party raised it in 2017 he was called into a meeting with the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford and Mr Grady, and ‘ambushed’ into accepting an apology. It’s understood the party denies this claim.

The lurid new allegations come as the party struggles to shake off the effects of a public battle with former leader Alex Salmond over its handling of allegations against him.

Scottish Conservative MSP for Glasgow, Annie Wells said: ‘The SNP’s chief whip faces serious allegations, and it now appears these are finally being taken seriously by the party.

‘But Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP chief executive Peter Murrell and other senior figures including former Westminster leader Angus Robertson also have serious questions to answer.’  

Patrick Grady stepped down as the SNP’s chief whip last night as the nationalists launched an investigation into claims he groped two men at a Christmas party.

It is alleged Mr Grady groped two male researchers at a party at the Phoenix Artist Club in London’s West End. Separately, he has been accuse of sexually harassing a then 19-year-old heterosexual man in The Water Poet pub in Spitalfields in East London.

The party is also facing allegations that it ‘protected’ the Glasgow North MP (pictured in 2015 with Nicola Sturgeon) after allegations about his conduct at a number of events in London in 2016.

An SNP spokesman confirmed today that Mr Grady had ‘stood aside’ from his role as chief whip, adding: ‘The SNP has today received a formal complaint. 

‘That now allows due process to take placed and we will not be commenting further while an investigation is under way.’ 

It comes at an already difficult time for Nicola Sturgeon’s party ahead of election in May.

At the weekend two polls found Scots would reject independence in a referendum – with Nicola Sturgeon hugely damaged by her public war with Alex Salmond.

A majority said they backed the union in separate surveys after a long run of results suggesting separatists would win a new vote north of the border.

Savanta Comres research for Scotland on Sunday gave a 52-48 per cent margin for ‘no’, excluding those who said they were not sure. Meanwhile, a Panelbase poll for the Sunday Times gave a 51-49 per cent split, and suggested just a third believe she has been entirely honest about in the spat with Mr Salmond.

The findings will cause fresh panic in the SNP, and are a boost for after growing alarm about Ms Sturgeon’s drive to break up the UK.

Nicola Sturgeon’s deputy is facing a dramatic vote of no confidence today as Scottish Tories urge MSPs to condemn the ‘stifling’ of a Holyrood probe into the Alex Salmond case.

Scots politicians will hold a debate and vote on John Swinney later amid fury at the refusal to release full legal advice Ms Sturgeon received about the government’s handling of complaints against Mr Salmond.

The First Minister has denied breaking the ministerial code by defying lawyers and continuing to fight a judicial review brought by her predecessor.

He was later awarded more than £500,000 over the way harassment complaints were dealt with, and was subsequently cleared in a trial.

Holyrood has twice voted to compel the Scottish Government to release the documents to a committee of inquiry.

Mr Swinney released some of the legal advice, but has claimed that no notes were taken of two crucial meetings between Ms Sturgeon and legal counsel.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross today urged MSPs from across parties to join forces – but admitted that he expects Mr Swinney to survive.

‘At the moment it looks like the parties have decided – those who support independence – to gang up with each other to vote this down,’ he told Sky News.

‘That’s the Scottish Greens now just being an extension of the SNP, despite Scottish Greens and all opposition parties joining with the Scottish Conservatvies to twice vote for this legal advice to be released…

‘Across parties, Parliament has been stifled in its attempts to get to the bottom of this issue – a crucial issue – but it looks like the Greens are going to support the SNP… John Swinney will survive.’

A Panelbase poll for the Sunday Times gave a 51-49 per cent split, and suggested just a third believe Nicola Sturgeon has been entirely honest about in the spat with Alex Salmond