Shamed Former Glasgow MP Lands Job at Charity Funded by Scottish Government

Glasgow: A former SNP MP, Patrick Grady, has landed a new gig at a charity backed by the Scottish Government. This comes after he was found to have sexually harassed a young staff member.

Grady is now the head of policy and communications for Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA). The whole situation has raised eyebrows, especially since he was accused of inappropriate behavior back in 2016.

It all started when a staff member claimed Grady harassed him at a bar in London. After the allegations, Grady stepped down as the SNP chief whip and faced an investigation.

Westminster authorities confirmed that he made unwanted advances, which included touching the staff member. He was ordered to apologize publicly and privately.

In 2022, he temporarily suspended his SNP membership but was readmitted later that year. Interestingly, the staff member also mentioned that the then SNP leader, Ian Blackford, tried to help resolve the issue informally.

SIDA is a charity that supports international development efforts, mostly funded by the Scottish Government. They also get some cash from the UK Government and member subscriptions.

On their website, SIDA highlighted Grady’s past work as an MP, where he focused on global justice issues. Now, he’s supposed to lead communications and influence key audiences.

However, Grady was left off the list of approved SNP candidates for the upcoming general election. He stepped down as an MP in July, just before Labour made significant gains in Glasgow.

The victim of Grady’s harassment expressed concern over his new role, saying it sends a troubling message about safeguarding. They questioned SIDA’s commitment to accountability and integrity.

Grady had previously apologized in Parliament, stating he was “profoundly sorry” for his actions. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Scottish Government clarified that SIDA operates independently and they don’t get involved in hiring decisions.