A GROUP of SNP councillors who voiced concerns about a sex pest colleague are understood to have been punished for their actions and may now quit the party.
Sources say two councillors were expelled and four suspended from the SNP group in North Lanarkshire last night for allegedly “bringing the party into disrepute”.
The sanctions are provisional until ratified by the SNP's ruling body, however it is understood the group may now resign from the party.
The Scopttish Tories called the decision "disgusting".
The six were among eight councillors who signed a letter to SNP National Secretary Lorna Finn about about the party’s handling of the Jordan Linden scandal.
Linden became the council’s £45,000-a-year leader after last year’s local elections, but resigned within weeks over multiple sexual misconduct allegations.
He accepted his behaviour at a party in 2019 caused a teenage boy “a sense of discomfort which I entirely regret”.
His resignation led to a change of control at the council, with Labour replacing the SNP.
Linden quit as a councillor for Bellshill in March this year after more sex pest claims against him, which he denied.
"My resignation is due to the extreme impact all of this is having on my life,” he said.
The scandal led to calls for the new SNP group leader, Tracy Carragher, to be suspended for allegedly failing to investigate a complaint against Linden.
Eight SNP councillors - Beth Baudo, Gerry Brennan, David Crichton, Paul Di Mascio, Greg Lennon, Barry McCluskey and Cameron McManus - wrote to Ms Finn about the issue.
They wanted to “formally complain about the serious and continual failings implemented by the North Lanarkshire SNP Leadership Team and their frequent abuse of power”.
The group called for “the immediate suspension” of Cllr Carragher and her deputes to allow a formal investigation “to take place into failures to safeguard the victim”.
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They said there had been a “complete dereliction of duty and inability to abide by any aspect of the party’s policy on sexual harassment”.
They also called for the victim’s claims to be investigated.
It led to the eight being accused of bringing the party into disrepute.
It is understood last night’s disciplinary hearing saw Cllrs Crichton and Di Mascio expelled, while Cllrs Baudo, Brennan, Lennon and McCluskey were suspended for six months.
It is understood Cllr Hume was given a written warning, while Cllr McManus’s case has yet to be decided as he left the meeting after feeling unwell.
The SNP said in March that Cllr Carragher did “not recognise the description of events in the open letter and is clear she received no complaints of harassment”.
Scottish Tory deputy leader Meghan Gallacher, a former member of North Lanarkshire Council before moving to Holyrood, said: “It is utterly shameful that the SNP have punished members of their own party for doing the right thing and raising complaints about Jordan Linden, who had to resign in disgrace.
“That sends out an appalling message to any potential future victims who want to speak out about how their misconduct complaints will be handled by the SNP.
“It’s clear that the SNP have learned nothing from the Patrick Grady case, when Ian Blackford rowed in behind the perpetrator rather than the victim.
“Appallingly, their first instinct is to close ranks around a shamed individual to cover up a party scandal, rather than support the brave and wronged individual.
“Suspending and expelling members who raised concerns over the handling of the Jordan Linden affair shows the SNP are rotten to the core.
“The SNP are mired in scandal nationally and their group in North Lanarkshire have serious questions to answer as to why this disgusting decision has been taken.”
Labour councillor Paul Kelly, the depute leader of North Lanarkshire Council, said: "North Lanarkshire SNP is in disarray.
"What is playing out locally is also hapening nationally.
"The allegations being made should be fully incvestigated and the victim should be supported."
An SNP spokesperson said: "We understand that the SNP Group undertook a disciplinary process against members who had voted contrary to a Group decision.
"If a member refuses to accept a sanction from their peers then, regrettably, that’s their decision to make."
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