KEITH Brown has insisted the SNP still has 'full confidence' in Ian Blackford, despite the fallout from the Patrick Grady affair. 

The Westminster leader is under fire over his response to sexual harassment complaints made against the party’s former chief whip by a member of party staff.

Last month, after he was censured by parliament’s sleaze watchdog, Mr Grady told the Commons he was "profoundly sorry" for touching and stroking the neck, hair and back of the staffer who was seventeen years his junior at a social event in 2016. 

However, on a recording of the SNP Westminster group’s meeting on the day of the report, leaked to the media, Mr Blackford can be heard urging his MPs to give their disgraced colleague their "full support."

Nicola Sturgeon called the contents of the recording "utterly unacceptable" and apologised to the victim.

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.

Earlier this week, in an email to colleagues, the man said he had “no faith that a meaningful change” would be made to the party’s handling of complaints. 

He said that the party’s response “shows that the victim has been ignored, and that staff remain unsafe working for the SNP in Westminster, and the SNP Westminster group will only improve processes in place for staff, when the media is involved”.

They added: “Staff cannot be safe under this process or under the leadership of Ian Blackford. Something needs to change to avoid this from happening to more victims, otherwise the SNP will find themselves complicit in allowing future victims of abuse.”

Despite the party being aware of the complaint, Mr Grady was allowed to remain in post as the SNP's Chief Whip until March 2021 - when The Herald first revealed the accusations against him.

He was even allowed to speak in a 2019 Commons debate about the harassment of staff.

The row limited the SNP’s ability to criticise the handling of the Chris Pincher affair that ultimately brought an end to Boris Johnson’s premiership.

While Labour, the Lib Dems and members of his own party urged the Prime Minister to explain what he knew about the allegations of harassment surrounding his former deputy chief whip, the SNP were silent. 

Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Show, Mr Brown – who added his apology to the victim – said he retained confidence in Mr Blackford’s leadership.

"Ian Blackford has said that he will look to make changes in relation to how these situations are dealt with, and that's right, that should happen.

"Nobody is saying it was the right way to deal with the situation but it is very important that lessons are learned and improvements are taken forward.

"Now I understand that Ian Blackford and his colleagues have committed to doing that and I hope that will be the case."

Asked if he was worried about the way Mr Blackford handled this and if there were questions over his leadership, Mr Brown replied: "Well,
I think there are some very good people in the Westminster group, Kirsten Oswald and others, who know this stuff and I think I'm confident that they and Ian Blackford will get this right and will improve those processes."

The Justice Secretary was asked why he mentioned the SNP depute leader of the Westminster Group, and if he had confidence in Mr Blackford.

He said: "I do have confidence in Ian Blackford. I mentioned Kirsten Oswald because she has an HR personnel background and I think that's the kind of expertise Ian will want to draw on to make sure we make the right changes."

Asked if the SNP should make her leader, Mr Brown said: "Because Ian Blackford is our leader. I have full confidence in Ian Blackford as leader of the Westminster group."