IT’S perhaps a symptom of the SNP’s growing estrangement from reality, after so long in power, that Ian Blackford remains in his position as leader of the party at Westminster.

Blackford's handling of the scandal surrounding the party’s former chief whip, Patrick Grady, making unwanted sexual advances to an SNP staffer, has been reprehensible. That Nicola Sturgeon hasn’t yet forced him to resign or simply sacked him speaks to failings in her leadership.

The SNP is a party which has made much of its claim to stand ‘on the right side of history’ when it comes to sexism, sexual harassment and the need to respect all victims. The words no longer match the reality. The party now has a long and ugly history of senior members behaving in repugnant ways to those less powerful.

The slithering politicking around the Grady scandal is beneath contempt. The victim of Grady’s behaviour has been treated appallingly. He is currently off work and says he cannot return to his job while Blackford and Grady remain in post. The young man deserves the full support of everyone with a conscience. 

Read more: Nicola Sturgeon backs Ian Blackford over 'utterly unacceptable' leaked comments

Blackford has repeatedly compounded the victim’s distress. The victim accuses Blackford of attempting to “ambush” him after he made the complaint, by inviting him to a meeting without letting him know Grady was also going to be there.

“For three years after that,” the young man said, “he kept reappointing Patrick as the chief whip while I was working there. I had to go in every day and face him at work. It was torture. It was a living hell in that regard.”

Then leaked audio of an SNP group meeting emerged in which Blackford could be heard urging colleagues to “give as much support as possible” to Grady. Blackford later expressed his “regret” that the victim didn’t feel supported. The victim says Blackford issued a “non-apology”. Again, it’s impossible to disagree with the young man, who added that he hadn’t been told an apology was to be issued publicly. It felt like “a publicity stunt”, he said, adding Blackford “has never contacted me privately to give me a private apology”.

After the leaked recording, current chief whip Owen Thompson threatened legal action against the leaker. There were “serious questions to be answered on the legality of sharing a recording without consent”. Thompson should also consider his position.

Now, as the heat turns up on Blackford, he’s thrown Grady under the proverbial bus. While last week he urged “full support”, Blackford now says Grady should “reflect on his behaviour and where he goes from here”. Grady’s future, Blackford adds, is “a question for his constituency party” - an implication that Grady may not be reselected as a candidate.

Read more: Joanna Cherry criticises SNP's complaints system

SNP Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson said that Grady’s actions were not “career-ending”. Nicola Sturgeon says she’s willing to apologise in person to the victim, and has already given a written apology to him. She describes comments made in the recording as “utterly unacceptable”.

Blackford, with pressure mounting against him, says “if the complainant feels aggrieved, then I am sorry for that.”

It’s far too little, and far too late. This scandal isn’t just an affront due to the substance of the events and the party’s disgraceful handling of the matter; this scandal is an indication of a party deeply out of touch with public sentiment.

The SNP has lost awareness of how Scottish people live and feel. If Nicola Sturgeon wishes to do the decent thing and reclaim so much lost ground then she must tell Blackford today that if he doesn’t quit, she’ll fire him.

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