DISGRACED MP Patrick Grady has ended his SNP membership while he is investigated by the police for alleged sexual assault, the party has said.

The Glasgow North MP will sit in the Commons as an independent after the Metropolitan Police confirmed it was making inquiries into a complaint against him related to October 2016.

An SNP spokesperson said: "Patrick Grady is stepping away from his party membership while the police inquiry continues."

In practice, it means Mr Grady will not be an SNP MP during any police investigation, but does not rule out a comeback for him.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman commented: “On June 22 police received an allegation of sexual assault that is said to have taken place in October 2016 at a commercial premises in Folgate Street, E1.

“The report was submitted online by a third party.

"Officers will now be making inquiries, including contacting the alleged victim, in order to assess what further action is required.”

The development in the latest blow to the party since Mr Grady was found by a Commons watchdog last week to have sexually harassed a party staffer 17 years his junior in a pub in 2016.

Mr Grady was found to have "made an unwanted sexual advance" while "under the influence of alcohol" and suspended by the Commons and the SNP for two days.

The row over his conduct escalated dramatically after a leaked recording of the SNP Westminster group after the finding was leaked to the media.

Despite group leader Ian Blackford promising a "zero tolerance" approach to harassment in 2017, he was heard urging his fellow MPs to give Mr Grady their "full support", leading to cries of "hear hear".

Opposition parties said Mr Blackford was a hypocrite who ought go quit.

Nicola Sturgeon called the contents of the recording "utterly unacceptable" and apologised for the victim feeling unsupported. 

However she continues to support Mr Blackford as Westminster leader.

Mr Blackford has since turned on Mr Grady, saying he should reflect on his conduct and position, and said his future is now a question for his constituency party.

The SNP has lost four of the 48 MPs it returned in the 2019 election.

Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey defected to Alba, Margaret Ferrier became an independent after failing to observe Covid rules, and now Mr Grady.

Scottish Tory party chair Craig Hoy said: "Patrick Grady should have been sacked long before this but the SNP have shown they have absolutely no backbone and would rather back the perpetrator over the victim.

“The abuser is gone but the poison remains in the SNP and the party leadership should be ashamed of the way they have handled this scandal. 

“It’s appalling that Nicola Sturgeon and Ian Blackford are still treating a disgraced MP with more sympathy than the victim who suffered sexual harassment.

“Bullying Blackford must now face the repercussions he deserves and be sacked so victims have confidence that they’ll be taken seriously in the future.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton added: “At no point has Ian Blackford showed an ounce of leadership. He voiced absolute full support for Patrick Grady over the victim, allowed SNP whips to act menacingly and resorted to intimidation. Ian Blackford must go.”