Nicola Sturgeon 'ignored claims SNP MP groped staff'

Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of ignoring sexual harassment allegations against one of her senior MPs.

Patrick Grady, who was an influential party official before he was elected to the Commons in 2015, has stepped down as chief whip after whistle-blowers spoke out and a formal complaint was made.

However, it is claimed that Ms Sturgeon has "serious questions to answer" after it emerged that concerns about Mr Grady's behaviour, which included allegations of groping staffers, had been raised in 2017.

He is alleged to have groped two male staffers at an SNP Christmas party in London in December 2016.

A current SNP employee also alleges that he was inappropriately touched on the neck and hair by Mr Grady while at a social event in the Water Poet pub, in Shoreditch, in October 2016.

Mr Grady only stepped down on Tuesday, after he was named by The Herald as one of two SNP MPs facing harassment claims.

Annie Wells, the Scottish Tory MSP, said Ms Sturgeon had "serious questions to answer". "When a newspaper reported allegations about Mr Grady on Monday he was not named - and remained in post as chief whip," Ms Wells said. "It took subsequent press reports naming Mr Grady before he stood down. It is also now emerging there have been concerns about Mr Grady's conduct for years - yet nothing appears to have been done."

An SNP spokesman said: "The SNP has today received a formal complaint. That now allows due process to take place and we will not be commenting further."

Mr Grady did not respond to requests for comment.