Patrick Grady: Settlement given to victim was taxpayers’ money

Patrick Grady, who sexually harassed a teenage staff member.

The SNP used public money to fund the settlement paid to the victim of sex-pest MP Patrick Grady, The Sunday Post can reveal.

Our investigation has established that the SNP agreed a five-figure settlement deal with the young researcher which was paid using “short money” – taxpayers’ cash given to all parties with MPs at Westminster – rather than from funds collected from donors and members.

The move has brought sharp criticism from other parties, with some demanding to know why the SNP did not use party funds given the circumstances of the case which led to disciplinary action against Grady by Westminster’s compliance officials.

Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: “Patrick Grady left office because he betrayed the public’s trust so it beggars belief that the public is being billed for his misdemeanours as well.

“His victim deserves every penny of the settlement due to the distress Grady caused, but that money should be coming out of the SNP’s pocket, not the taxpayer’s.

“The SNP must share the details of exactly where this payment came from.”

Dame Jackie Baillie at The Sunday Post's loneliness campaign event. — Dame Jackie Baillie.

Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells said: “The SNP should have done the right thing and paid the victim out of their own party funds.

“Taxpayers will be shocked that they ultimately have been asked by the nationalists to foot the bill, despite how appallingly they handled this case.

“At every step of the way senior SNP figures, including Ian Blackford, were more interested in protecting one of their own MPs rather than putting the victim first. Serious questions must be answered by the SNP as to why they thought it was appropriate to impose this payment on the public, instead of sorting it out themselves.”

The young political researcher was just a teenager working away from home when he was targeted by Grady – who was his boss as well as being the SNP whip at Westminster.

The youngster had planned a career in politics but has had to rebuild his ambitions after months of bullying and trauma finally forced him out of the job he once loved.

Last week we revealed that, after being suspended as an MP over his behaviour, Grady has now landed a new job as policy and communications lead for a charity which is largely bankrolled by the SNP-controlled Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government insisted that it had no role in the appointment because Scotland’s International Development Alliance is an independent charity.

Speaking in last week’s Sunday Post, Grady’s victim said: “I’m surprised to hear an organisation which claims to fight injustice and strive for a fairer world appears to have overlooked the significance of Grady’s sexual harassment towards me, as a teenager, in their vetting process.

“Employing someone with a documented history of inappropriate behaviour towards teenage colleagues sends a troubling message about how seriously they take safeguarding and accountability.

“Their decision to employ Patrick Grady calls into question the integrity of their leadership and their commitment to upholding the values they claim to represent.”

When questioned about the payment by The Sunday Post, SNP spokesman Tom French said: “I’m not sure what your question is about short money – are you suggesting that it would be out of the ordinary for employees to be paid that way?”